Leading Peru presidential candidates hold debate

Candidates to be the next president of Peru on Monday took part in the first of three debates ahead of the April 11 election. The vote seeks to substitute Interim President Francisco Sagasti, who took office after his predecessor, Martin Vizcarra, was impeached during an investigation on corruption allegations.

George Forsyth for the National Victory party, Keiko Fujimori for Popular Force party and Verónika Mendoza for Together for Peru are part the leading pack of five candidates leading the polls, among the wider field of 16.

César Acuña from Alliance for Progress and Marco Arana from Broad Front also participated in Monday's debate. The 16 candidates were separated into three different groups, with the further debates to come on Tuesday and Wednesday. Leading candidates Yonhy Lescano, of the Popular Action party, and López Aliaga, of the Popular Renewal party, will debate on Wednesday.