Tue Dec 02 23:21:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, along with a summary:
Summary:
Peruvian presidential hopeful Rafael Belaunde survived an assassination attempt on December 2, 2025, when gunmen on a motorbike shot at his car near Lima. Belaunde sustained minor injuries from broken glass. Authorities are investigating, and the attack has been condemned by political figures who also called for increased security measures for presidential candidates ahead of the April 2026 election. The incident occurs amidst rising crime and political instability in Peru.
News Article:
Peruvian Presidential Candidate Rafael Belaunde Survives Gun Attack
Lima, Peru – December 3, 2025 – Peruvian presidential candidate Rafael Belaunde narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Tuesday, December 2, when his vehicle was attacked by gunmen south of Lima.
According to police reports, assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on the SUV Belaunde was driving in the town of Cerro Azul, approximately 80 miles south of the capital. The bullets shattered the front window of the vehicle, and Belaunde suffered cuts from the broken glass, leaving him with bloodied face and shirt.
“Shots were fired at the vehicle and at him,” police chief Oscar Arriola told reporters. It remains unclear if Belaunde was alone in the vehicle at the time of the attack.
While initial reports suggested conflicting accounts of whether Belaunde was driving or a passenger, police confirmed he was at the wheel. A member of Belaunde’s Libertad Popular party, Pedro Cateriano, stated that the candidate was “unharmed” and that the perpetrators “did not achieve their goal.”
Belaunde, a former Energy Minister and grandson of two-time ex-President Fernando Belaunde, informed police that he had not received any prior threats.
Roberto Burneo, head of Peru’s electoral court, condemned the attack and called on the government to bolster security measures in the lead-up to the presidential elections scheduled for April 12, 2026. Belaunde is not considered a frontrunner, with opinion polls currently favoring former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga and Keiko Fujimori.
The attack occurs against a backdrop of increasing crime and political instability in Peru, marked by protests over graft and organized crime, and a recent surge in extortion and violence. This includes the impeachment of former president Dina Boluarte, who was succeeded by Jose Jeri. Former Interior Minister Gino Costa called for heightened security for all presidential candidates and an end to electoral violence. Authorities are currently investigating the incident.
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