Napoleón Becerra, a presidential candidate in Peru’s upcoming April elections, died Sunday in a traffic accident although traveling to a campaign event in the south of the country, according to reports from his party and Peruvian media outlets. Becerra, 67, led the leftist Workers and Entrepreneurs Party (PTE-Perú) and was one of 36 candidates vying for the presidency.
The accident occurred on the Vía de los Libertadores highway in the Huancavelica region as Becerra was en route to Ayacucho, confirmed Emily Silva, a candidate for deputy from Lima and spokesperson for the PTE-Perú, to RPP radio. “We were informed a few minutes ago of the accident by colleagues who are in the area and were traveling with him. They have notified us that our president (Napoleón Becerra) has died,” Silva stated.
While the PTE-Perú currently polls in the “others” category, receiving less than 1% of voter preference, Becerra’s death marks a significant moment in the lead-up to the April 12th general elections. The elections will determine Peru’s next President and Vice Presidents, as well as a 130-member Congress, a 60-member Senate, and five representatives to the Andean Parliament.
Details surrounding the accident remain under investigation. According to RPP, the incident took place at kilometer 183 of the Vía de los Libertadores, near the town of Huaytará in Huancavelica. Balvín Huamaní, the mayor of the Pilpichaca district, reported that the vehicle Becerra was traveling in – a van – went off the road into a ditch for reasons that are currently unknown. La Republica and Wikipedia both confirm Becerra’s passing.
Becerra’s Background and Political Career
Napoleón Becerra García was born on April 11, 1964, in Cajamarca, Peru. He held a degree in administration from the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University and worked for the Lima Metropolitan Municipality for two decades, becoming a leader within the municipal workers’ union. He founded the Workers and Entrepreneurs Party of Peru in 2023, bringing together members from Patria Roja, according to his Wikipedia entry.
Becerra was transported to a nearby medical center following the accident, but succumbed to his injuries. Three other individuals in the vehicle were also injured, with two reported to be in serious condition and transported to Ayacucho for medical treatment.
Condolences from Fellow Candidates
News of Becerra’s death prompted expressions of sympathy from other presidential candidates. Marisol Pérez Tello, of the Primero la Gente party, offered her condolences to Becerra’s family and party members. Jorge Nieto, representing the Good Governance Party, also expressed his regret, as did businessman and politician César Acuña, of the Alliance for Progress party. Acuña stated on X (formerly Twitter), “In times like these, Peru must unite with respect and solidarity.” Alfonso López Chau, of the Now Nation party, shared that Becerra was a friend and colleague from their shared political activism in the 1980s, extending his solidarity to Becerra’s family and friends.
A second round of voting is scheduled for June 7th if no candidate secures a majority – more than 50% – of the votes in the initial April 12th election.
The circumstances surrounding the accident are still being investigated by authorities. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses. The loss of a candidate, even one polling in the lower percentages, underscores the unpredictable nature of the political landscape in Peru as the nation prepares to choose its next leader.
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