Peru's Senate approved on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, delegating to Keiko Fujimori's government the power to legislate for 90 days on public security and El Niño prevention, with 35 votes for, 18 against and 6 abstentions, Canal N [reported](https://canaln.pe/actualidad/camara-senadores-pleno-aprueba-delegacion-facultades-al-ejecutivo-27-materias-n495769). The approved text has 27 points: the 20 approved by the Chamber of Deputies and 7 added by the Constitution Committee. With 59 senators present, it needed 31 votes.
The governing bloc, with 30 senators, secured the majority with three votes from Obras and two from Partido del Buen Gobierno, according to Exitosa. Juntos por el Perú and Ahora Nación voted against. "What has become clear is that there was no distortion of any kind," said Senate president Miguel Torres, according to RPP.
What Peru's Senate is voting on
The bill delegates to the Executive the power to issue legislative decrees for 90 days on two matters: public security and prevention of the effects of El Niño, according to Infobae. It is the final stage of a request that Keiko Fujimori's government filed in August with 66 points and 120 days, and that the Chamber of Deputies cut to 20 points on October 6 (see how the request stalled in the Senate).
| Stage | Date | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Executive request | August 28, 2026 | 66 points in 8 areas, for 120 days |
| Chamber of Deputies | October 6, 2026 | 20 points on security and El Niño, for 90 days (66 for, 35 against, 24 abstentions according to Gestión) |
| Senate Constitution Committee | October 19, 2026 | 27 points: Deputies' 20 plus 7 new ones (7 for, 0 against) |
| Senate plenary | October 21, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. Lima time | Approved: 35 for, 18 against, 6 abstentions |
Sources: Infobae, Infobae and La República. Vote counts in the Chamber of Deputies differ slightly between outlets: Infobae reported 34 votes against.
The 7 points the Senate added
The Constitution Committee, chaired by Carlos Mesía (Fuerza Popular), expanded the Deputies' text. Six of the new points concern public security and one El Niño prevention, according to RPP. Those described by the press are:
| Point added by the committee | Area |
|---|---|
| Military guard of prisons | Security |
| Armed Forces action against crime | Security |
| Strengthening the National Intelligence Directorate (DINI) | Security |
| Provisions on self-defense | Security |
| Post-prison monitoring for certain crimes | Security |
| Simplified procedures for infrastructure projects | El Niño (prevention) |
Sources: Infobae and La República. None of the reports reviewed details the seventh point. Some of these issues, such as broader self-defense rules, had been excluded by the Deputies, which explains the opposition's anger.
The vote count in Peru's Senate
The Senate has 60 members and the bill needed 31 votes, according to La República. Before the vote, the governing bloc had 30 and the hard-line opposition 25, and the senators of Obras, Ricardo Belmont's caucus, held the key. This is how the count looked before the plenary:
| Caucus | Senators | Announced position |
|---|---|---|
| Fuerza Popular | 22 | For the 27-point bill |
| Renovación Popular | 8 | For |
| Obras | 5 (inferred) | Close to the government: favors more than 20 powers, but "we will not give in on everything" (Belmont) |
| Ahora Nación, Juntos por el Perú and Partido del Buen Gobierno | 25 | Against the 7 added points; some back only the Deputies' 20 |
La República had calculated that if Obras joined the opposition, the result would be a 30-30 tie. That did not happen: three Obras senators voted in favor and one abstained, and Partido del Buen Gobierno split, with two votes in favor and five abstentions, according to Exitosa.
| Caucus | For | Against | Abstained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuerza Popular | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Renovación Popular | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Obras | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Partido del Buen Gobierno | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Juntos por el Perú | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Ahora Nación | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 35 | 18 | 6 |
Sources: Exitosa and Canal N. Exitosa notes that the 35 votes in favor include the Senate presidency's vote. Fifty-nine of the 60 senators voted.
What supporters and opponents say
- Patricia Juárez (Fuerza Popular): "The security of Peruvians cannot wait or be held hostage to political calculations" (RPP).
- Alejandro Aguinaga (governing bloc): "The country demands responsibility" from the opposition.
- Humberto Morales (Juntos por el Perú): the committee "distorted" what the Deputies approved, which "anticipates how it will handle what the Deputies approve in the next five years".
- Mirtha Vásquez (Ahora Nación): announced she will vote against and criticized Obras's "change of positions".
- Flavio Figallo (Partido del Buen Gobierno): proposes approving only the Deputies' 20 points and handling the rest as bills.
What happens after the vote on legislative powers
Constitution Committee chair Carlos Mesía rejected claims that the Senate distorted what the Deputies approved: "The Senate is not a mailbox; it approves, amends or even rejects," he said, according to Exitosa. Because the Senate approved a text different from the Deputies', with 27 points, the bill goes to the Executive for enactment with that content: in the bicameral Congress, the Senate approves or amends what the Deputies send and forwards the bill to the president, according to the congressional portal La Cámara. Juntos por el Perú filed a bill so that amended texts return to the Deputies, but it is still in committee (Panamericana). Once published, the Executive has 90 days to issue legislative decrees, which Congress can later review. Before the vote, senator Hugo Ccahuana (Juntos por el Perú) had announced a point of order to send the bill back to committee, according to Infobae.
The government's urgency is tied to El Niño. The ENFEN multisector commission warns that the coastal El Niño could reach extraordinary magnitude through early 2027 (see what ENFEN says and which regions are at risk). Meanwhile, the Executive already approved a rule allowing humanitarian aid without waiting for an emergency declaration and is clearing riverbeds at 536 critical points in Piura, Tumbes, Lambayeque and La Libertad, according to Infobae.
Why it matters for Keiko Fujimori's government
It was the governing bloc's first major test in the Senate created in 2026, and it came as the president's approval declines (see the Ipsos poll putting her at 40%). Passing all 27 points shows that Fuerza Popular and its allies can impose their agenda in the upper house, although they needed votes from Obras and part of Partido del Buen Gobierno to do it.
Frequently asked questions
What are delegated legislative powers?
Authorization from Congress for the Executive to issue legislative decrees with the force of law on defined matters for a set period. In this case, 90 days on public security and El Niño.
How many points does the Senate-approved text have?
27: the 20 approved by the Chamber of Deputies on October 6 and 7 added by the Constitution Committee on October 19.
By how many votes did it pass the Senate?
35 for, 18 against and 6 abstentions, on October 21, 2026. It needed 31.
What did the Senate add?
Among other points, military guard of prisons, Armed Forces action against crime, a stronger DINI intelligence agency, changes to self-defense rules and post-prison monitoring.
What happens now?
The bill goes to the Executive for enactment. Once the law is published, the government has 90 days to issue legislative decrees on those matters.
