Keiko Fujimori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keiko Fujimori
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| ケイコ・フジモリ (藤森 恵子) | |
Fujimori in 2017
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| President of Popular Force | |
| Assumed office 22 July 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Member of Congress | |
| In office 26 July 2006 – 26 July 2011 |
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| Constituency | Lima |
| First Lady of Peru | |
| In role 23 August 1994 – 22 November 2000 |
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| President | Alberto Fujimori |
| Preceded by | Susana Higuchi |
| Succeeded by | Nilda Jara |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi
25 May 1975 Jesús María, Lima, Peru |
| Political party | Popular Force (2010–present) |
| Spouse |
Mark Villanella
(m. 2004; div. 2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Kenji Fujimori (brother) Santiago Fujimori (uncle) |
| Education | Stony Brook University Boston University (BA) Columbia University (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi (born 25 May 1975) is a Peruvian politician. She is the oldest daughter of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori and Susana Higuchi. From 1994 to 2000, she was the First Lady of Peru during her father's time as president.
Since 2010, Keiko Fujimori has led the political party Popular Force. She also served as a congresswoman for the Lima Metropolitan Area from 2006 to 2011. Fujimori has run for president three times: in 2011, 2016, and 2021. Each time, she reached the second round of voting but was not elected.
Contents
Keiko Fujimori's Early Life
Growing Up and School
Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi was born on 25 May 1975, in Jesús María, Lima, Peru. Her parents, Alberto Fujimori and Susana Higuchi, are of Japanese Peruvian background. Her father became the President of Peru in 1990.
Keiko has three younger siblings: Kenji Gerardo, Hiro Alberto, and Sachi Marcela. As the oldest, she often helped her parents and siblings get along. She and her siblings went to a Catholic school in Peru.
After high school, Keiko went to the United States in 1993. She studied Business Administration at Stony Brook University and later at Boston University, graduating in 1997. She also earned a master's degree from Columbia University in 2008.
Becoming First Lady of Peru
In 1994, Keiko's parents separated. Her father then asked her to become the First Lady of Peru. She was the youngest First Lady in the Americas at that time.
As First Lady, Keiko became the head of the Foundation for the Children of Peru. This group usually helps children in need. She also started the Peruvian Foundation for Infant Cardiology, which helps children with heart problems.
In 2000, her father resigned from the presidency and moved to Japan. Keiko left the Government Palace in Peru shortly after.
Serving in Congress (2006–2011)
After her father's arrest in 2005, his supporters formed a new political party called Alliance for the Future. Keiko Fujimori was chosen to lead this party. She returned to Peru and ran for Congress in the 2006 elections.
Keiko received the most votes of any candidate for Congress that year, setting a new record. She became a member of the National Congress for Lima, serving from 2006 to 2011.
During her time in Congress, Keiko focused on laws related to the legal system. She supported stricter rules for people who commit serious crimes. She also helped organize events to support her father.
In 2008, Keiko announced a new political party called Fuerza 2011. This party would later become Popular Force.
Running for President
2011 Presidential Election
In 2009, Keiko Fujimori began gathering signatures to create her own political party, Fuerza 2011. She officially announced her candidacy for president in December 2010.
Her campaign focused on creating jobs, fighting crime, and improving education. She also defended her father's time as president, saying he helped defeat terrorism and stabilize the economy. However, she also tried to distance herself from any past problems, admitting there were "errors" during his time.
In the first round of the 2011 presidential elections, Keiko Fujimori came in second place. She received about 23.5% of the votes. She then faced Ollanta Humala, another candidate, in the second round.
The second round was very close. Many people felt they were choosing the "lesser evil" between the two candidates. On 5 June, Keiko Fujimori lost to Humala by a small margin. She received about 48.6% of the votes. She accepted her defeat and congratulated Humala.
After the 2011 Campaign
After her loss in 2011, Keiko Fujimori began preparing for the 2016 elections. In 2012, her party changed its name to Popular Force. She continued to lead the party.
Between 2011 and 2016, Keiko traveled across Peru to strengthen her party. She worked to connect with young people and reduce any concerns about her link to her father. She led many opinion polls throughout 2015.
2016 Presidential Election
On 4 December 2015, Keiko Fujimori announced she would run for president again in the 2016 elections. Her campaign focused on improving the economy, cutting taxes, and expanding internet access in rural areas.
During the campaign, some other candidates were removed from the race due to election rules. Keiko herself faced accusations about campaign donations, but these claims were dismissed.
Many people protested against Keiko's candidacy, remembering her father's past. She promised not to pardon her father if elected, but said she would continue to seek his release through legal means. She also promised not to run for president again if she won.
In the first round of voting on 10 April, Keiko Fujimori came in first with about 40% of the votes. Her party, Popular Force, also won a majority of seats in Congress. Since no candidate won more than 50% of the votes, a second round was scheduled for 5 June.
In the second round, Keiko Fujimori faced Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. The election was very close. After a long vote count, Kuczynski was declared the winner by a very small difference. Keiko Fujimori accepted her defeat on 10 June.
After the 2016 Campaign
After the 2016 elections, Keiko Fujimori remained a key leader of the opposition. Her party held the majority in Congress.
In 2018, her brother, Kenji Fujimori, had disagreements with her. This created a split within their family and the political party. When President Kuczynski resigned in March 2018, Martín Vizcarra became president. Keiko welcomed him and wished him success.
Investigations and Detention
In October 2018, Keiko Fujimori was temporarily detained as part of an investigation. She was accused of receiving illegal money for her 2011 campaign. She stated that this was "political persecution."
She was released after an appeal but was later detained again for a longer period. Her husband, Mark Vito, went on a hunger strike to protest her detention. In April 2020, a court allowed her to be released from prison under certain conditions. She was finally released on bail in May 2020.
2021 Presidential Election
In September 2020, Keiko Fujimori announced her return to politics. In November, she officially declared her candidacy for president in the 2021 elections.
Her campaign focused on being a strong leader and improving law enforcement. She also expressed a closer connection to her father's legacy. She said she would pardon him if elected president.
Throughout the campaign, she was one of the leading candidates. In the first round, she came in second. She then faced Pedro Castillo in the second round. She described the election as a choice between different economic ideas.
Election Outcome
After the second round of elections, Pedro Castillo took the lead in the vote count. Keiko Fujimori made claims about possible election problems. However, international observers stated that the election was fair and followed international rules.
Analysts noted that her claims were similar to those made in other countries after elections. For Keiko Fujimori, the election was very important. If she had won, investigations against her would have been paused until 2026. She had previously spent time in jail while waiting for trial.
Images for kids
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Keiko Fujimori's signature
See also
In Spanish: Keiko Fujimori para niños
