Presidency of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
The Peruvian presidential administration led by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski from July 2016 until his resignation in March 2018.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The presidency of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was the Peruvian national administration formed after the 2016 presidential election and ended less than two years later amid a political and corruption crisis. Kuczynski, a former economy minister and centre-right politician, narrowly defeated Keiko Fujimori in the second round held on 5 June 2016. He received 8,596,937 votes, or 50.12 percent, according to the cited account of the election. His political movement, Peruanos Por el Kambio, did not obtain a comparable position in Congress, where Fujimori’s Popular Force held a large majority. The resulting division between the Executive and Legislative branches shaped nearly every major phase of the administration. Kuczynski was inaugurated on 28 July 2016, Peru’s Independence Day. His government presented itself through the slogan “Working for all Peruvians” and identified water and sanitation, public education, patient-oriented health services, economic formalization, infrastructure, and the fight against corruption as central priorities. Fernando Zavala Lombardi became president of the Council of Ministers, while Martín Vizcarra and Mercedes Aráoz served as first and second vice presidents respectively. The initial cabinet combined economists, technocrats, and ministers who had served in earlier governments. Congress initially granted the cabinet a vote of confidence and later delegated legislative authority for 90 days in areas including economic policy, public security, anti-corruption measures, water and sanitation, and the reorganization of Petroperú. The administration nevertheless faced repeated confrontations with Congress. A controversy involving presidential adviser Carlos Moreno emerged only months after the inauguration, after recordings appeared to show him discussing a potentially lucrative arrangement involving services for patients covered by Peru’s public health insurance system. Moreno was removed from government, but the affair damaged the administration’s credibility. Education minister Jaime Saavedra was subsequently censured by Congress after disputes over education administration, alleged procurement irregularities, and preparations for the Lima Pan American Games. His resignation and replacement by Marilú Martens demonstrated the opposition’s ability to force cabinet changes. Other disputes involved the proposed modification of the contract for the Chinchero International Airport project in Cusco, which was defended by Kuczynski and Vizcarra but criticized in Congress as potentially damaging to the state. The controversy contributed to Vizcarra’s departure from the transport ministry and illustrated the administration’s difficulty in managing infrastructure policy under intense legislative scrutiny. Relations with Keiko Fujimori and Popular Force remained unstable despite private meetings intended to open a dialogue. The Odebrecht corruption investigation became the defining crisis of the presidency. Kuczynski faced questions concerning possible conflicts of interest and payments made by companies linked to him while he had held public office before becoming president. Congress pursued two presidential vacancy processes. The first failed. After Kuczynski granted a humanitarian pardon to former president Alberto Fujimori in December 2017, protests followed in Lima and other cities, and several ministers resigned or criticized the decision. A second vacancy process intensified in March 2018 after opposition legislators released recordings and videos appearing to show government representatives negotiating political support in exchange for public works. Kuczynski submitted his resignation on 21 March 2018, and Congress accepted it on 23 March. First Vice President Martín Vizcarra then assumed the presidency. The administration is therefore best understood as a short-lived executive political project rather than a commercial brand: its identity was defined by technocratic reform ambitions, minority-government constraints, cabinet turnover, and the unresolved corruption and legitimacy crisis that ended its tenure.
History
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s administration emerged from a closely fought 2016 election in which he defeated Keiko Fujimori in the runoff. The result gave Kuczynski the presidency but not a strong legislative base. Popular Force controlled a substantial congressional majority, while Peruanos Por el Kambio held comparatively few seats. This imbalance created a governing environment in which cabinet appointments, policy proposals, and ministerial performance were frequently subject to congressional pressure. During the transition, Kuczynski selected Fernando Zavala Lombardi as prime minister and Alfredo Thorne Vetter as economy and finance minister. The first cabinet was sworn in on 28 July 2016. Its stated agenda included universal access to water and sanitation, improvements to education and health, infrastructure development, economic formalization, public security, and stronger action against corruption. Congress initially granted Zavala’s cabinet a vote of confidence. In September 2016 it also granted the Executive temporary authority to legislate in selected policy areas, after which the government issued a large package of legislative decrees. The administration soon became vulnerable to political and ethical controversies. Carlos Moreno, a presidential adviser on health matters, resigned in October 2016. Broadcast recordings subsequently appeared to capture him discussing a proposed arrangement that would have connected a private clinic with the public health-insurance system. Kuczynski’s government removed Moreno, but the episode weakened its anti-corruption message and raised concerns about access and influence within the presidential office. Congressional confrontation continued through the education portfolio. Jaime Saavedra, who had already been education minister under the preceding administration, was questioned over alleged procurement irregularities and delays associated with preparations for the 2019 Pan American Games. Kuczynski defended him, but Congress voted to censure him in December 2016. Saavedra resigned and Marilú Martens became education minister. Defense minister Mariano González also resigned in late 2016 after a media report about a personal relationship with an adviser whom critics claimed he had favored professionally; he denied wrongdoing. Infrastructure policy produced another major dispute. The government sought to modify the contract for the proposed Chinchero International Airport in Cusco. Kuczynski and Transport Minister Martín Vizcarra argued that the arrangement offered advantages to the state and would advance a long-delayed regional project. Critics in Congress challenged the terms and raised questions about political connections involving the consortium. The dispute placed Vizcarra under sustained pressure and contributed to his departure from the transport ministry. Kuczynski also attempted dialogue with Keiko Fujimori, including meetings associated with the archbishop of Lima in December 2016 and a later meeting at Government Palace. The effort did not resolve the structural conflict between the presidency and Popular Force. In September 2017, Congress denied a vote of confidence to Prime Minister Zavala. Kuczynski then reorganized the cabinet, with Mercedes Aráoz becoming prime minister and several ministers being replaced. The Odebrecht investigation made the administration’s political position increasingly precarious. Kuczynski faced scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest and payments connected with firms associated with the Brazilian construction company during periods before his presidency. Congress initiated a first vacancy process, which failed. The decision to pardon Alberto Fujimori in December 2017 produced demonstrations in Lima and other cities, prompted ministerial resignations, and alienated political supporters. A second vacancy process followed in March 2018. Shortly before Congress was due to debate it, opposition legislators released videos and audio recordings that appeared to show government intermediaries negotiating congressional support through promised public works. Kuczynski announced his resignation on 21 March. Congress accepted it on 23 March 2018, ending the administration. Martín Vizcarra, the first vice president, was sworn in the same day. The presidency therefore lasted from 28 July 2016 to 23 March 2018 and is remembered for its reformist and technocratic program, its minority position in Congress, repeated cabinet crises, and the corruption-related political breakdown that forced its conclusion.
- 2018
Resignation and succession
[1]Kuczynski resigns during the second vacancy crisis; Congress accepts the resignation and Martín Vizcarra becomes president.
- 2017
Cabinet changes after loss of confidence
[1]Congress denies confidence to Fernando Zavala’s cabinet, after which Mercedes Aráoz becomes prime minister and the cabinet is reorganized.
- 2017
Fujimori receives a humanitarian pardon
[1]Kuczynski grants a humanitarian pardon to former president Alberto Fujimori, provoking protests and political backlash.
- 2016
Kuczynski wins the presidential runoff
[2]Pedro Pablo Kuczynski narrowly defeats Keiko Fujimori in the second round of the presidential election held on 5 June.
- 2016
Inauguration of the administration
[1]Kuczynski takes office on 28 July, with Martín Vizcarra and Mercedes Aráoz as vice presidents.
- 2016
Congress grants delegated legislative authority
[1]The Executive receives a 90-day delegation covering economic policy, security, anti-corruption, water and sanitation, and Petroperú.
Products and positioning
A technocratic, economically liberal and reform-oriented presidential administration emphasizing infrastructure, formalization, public services, water and sanitation, and anti-corruption, while operating under a hostile congressional majority.
Controversies
2018
Videos and recordings preceding resignation
Released recordings appeared to show government operators offering public works in exchange for congressional support against the vacancy motion. Kuczynski resigned the following day.
2017
Odebrecht-related conflicts of interest
Kuczynski faced congressional scrutiny over financial relationships and possible conflicts of interest involving companies associated with Odebrecht. The issue led to presidential vacancy proceedings.
2017
Pardon of Alberto Fujimori
The pardon of Alberto Fujimori triggered public demonstrations, ministerial resignations, and criticism from across Peru’s political spectrum.
2016
Carlos Moreno health-insurance recordings
Presidential adviser Carlos Moreno was implicated by recorded conversations concerning a proposed private arrangement involving patients covered by Peru’s public health-insurance system. He was removed from government after the recordings became public.
Brand decisions
2017
Chinchero airport contract modificationStrategyBackground
The government considered the Cusco airport project a long-delayed infrastructure priority, while congressional critics argued that the proposed addendum was unfavorable to the state.
Action taken
The administration signed an addendum modifying the contract with the Kuntur Wasi consortium.
Aftermath
The controversy intensified scrutiny of Transport Minister Martín Vizcarra and contributed to his departure from the ministry.
2017
Humanitarian pardon for Alberto FujimoriOtherBackground
The president issued the pardon amid an increasingly severe conflict with Congress and after the first presidential vacancy process.
Action taken
Kuczynski granted Fujimori a humanitarian pardon in December 2017.
Aftermath
The decision prompted protests, ministerial resignations, and broad criticism, while further weakening the administration’s political support.
2016
Delegation of legislative powersStrategyBackground
The minority government sought room to act despite confrontation with a Congress dominated by Popular Force.
Action taken
Congress granted the Executive 90 days of authority in economic, security, anti-corruption, water, sanitation, and Petroperú matters.
Aftermath
The government announced the publication of 112 legislative decrees when the delegation expired.
2016
Replacement of Education Minister Jaime SaavedraOtherBackground
Congress challenged Saavedra over procurement allegations and preparations for the Pan American Games.
Action taken
After a congressional censure vote, Saavedra resigned and Marilú Martens became education minister.
Aftermath
The episode illustrated the opposition’s ability to compel cabinet turnover despite presidential support for the minister.
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