Peru’s New President Keiko Fujimori Places Her Catholic Faith at Center of Inauguration and Hopes to Welcome Pope Leo XIV

Following the inauguration at the Congress of the Republic on July 28, 2026, Peru’s new president, Keiko (blessed child in Japanese) Sofia Fujimori, whose grandparents were from Japan, placed her Catholic faith and the moral authority of the Church at the forefront of her administration's core vision.

Key Highlights of the Presidential Oath

• Oath Over the Gospels: Taking her presidential oath over the Holy Gospels, in front of a crucifix, President Fujimori pledged to uphold the historic role of Catholicism while committing to religious freedom.

• Inaugural Address Commitment:

  "I swear before you, by God and the Fatherland, upon these Holy Gospels... that, while respecting freedom of worship, I will recognize the importance of the Catholic Church and work tirelessly for a safe, prosperous, and united country," Fujimori declared (El Comercio).

• Social & Family Policy Focus: She highlighted forthcoming policies aimed at protecting the physical and moral integrity of citizens "from gestation to senior age."

• Personal Life

• Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi, age 51 (born 25 May 1975) is the eldest daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori.  She is a Roman Catholic and head of the conservative political movement, leading its party, Popular Force, since 2009. Fujimori served as First Lady of Peru from 1994 to 2000 and as a member of Congress for Lima from 2006 to 2011. She won the presidency on her fourth attempt in 2026. Fujimori is the second female president of Peru, after Dina Boluarte. Born in Lima to Alberto Fujimori and Susana Higuchi, she became First Lady at the age of 19 in 1994, after her father removed her mother from the role during the couple's separation. She studied business administration in the United States. With her former husband American-born Mark Vito Villanella ​ ​(m. 2004; div. 2022)​ she has two daughters; Kyara Villanella (born 2007) and Kaori Villanella (born 2009).

State Preparations for a Historic Papal Visit

• Meeting with the Bishops' Conference: Prior to taking office in early July, Fujimori met with the Peruvian Bishops' Conference (Conferencia Episcopal Peruana) to coordinate state assistance for an upcoming papal visit (RPP). According to a statement released by the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference on July 16, the President-elect expressed “her willingness to coordinate with the Church for the upcoming apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Peru, scheduled for November 2026,” whilst Infobae website reported on July 16 that Fujimori expressed the hope that the visit will be “long and successful” and “reach as many people as possible.”

• Pope Leo XIV's Connection to Peru: Scheduled for November 2026, the visit by Pope Leo XIV (formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost) holds unique national significance:

  • Served as a missionary and bishop in northern Peru for decades.

  • Holds Peruvian citizenship.

• Goal of the Apostolic Visit: Fujimori emphasized her intention to leverage the Pontiff’s visit as a signal of national unity across Peru's diverse regions.

Church Leadership Urges Autonomy & Social Justice

• Institutional Neutrality: Peruvian Catholic leaders reiterated that the Church maintains strict political independence and will not endorse specific factions (La República, El Comercio).

• Call to Action from Cardinal Carlos Castillo: Church leadership urged the new administration to prioritize:

  • National reconciliation and inclusive dialogue.

  • Addressing long-standing economic and social inequalities.

  • Governing with justice and ethical accountability.

  • Sources - 

  • El Comercio (elcomercio.pe) 

  • Radio Programas del Perú (RPP) (rpp.pe) 

  • La República (larepublica.pe) 

  • Agencia Fides / Latin American Catholic News Service —