Peruvian Police Arrest Electoral Official Over Voting Irregularities
This photograph, distributed by the National Police of Peru, shows the arrest of José Edilberto Samame Blas, director of electoral management of the National Office of Electoral Processes by an anti-corruption police officer in Lima. Photo: AFP.
April 13, 2026 Hour: 10:50 pm
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Peru’s National Police this Monday arrested José Edilberto Samamé Blas, the Electoral Management Manager of the National Office of Electoral Processes, on charges of alleged omission of functional acts on Sunday general elections.
The arrest, made in flagrante delicto, followed massive irregularities in the distribution of electoral material that significantly infringed upon the right to vote for thousands of citizens across the country.
This development marks a critical juncture in the 2026 general elections, casting a shadow over the integrity of the process.
Samamé Blas was directly responsible for contracting General Services Galaga (Servicios Generales Gálaga, in Spanish), the third-party company tasked with the logistical deployment of electoral materials.
This crucial operation catastrophically failed in various locations within the capital, forcing the suspension of voting in numerous schools in South Lima. The complete absence of ballots and voter registries necessitated the reprogramming of elections for this Monday, further disrupting the democratic process and drawing widespread public condemnation. The scale of these logistical failures points to significant systemic breakdowns within the National Office of Electoral Processes’ (ONPE, in Spanish) oversight mechanisms.
Prior to his detention, Samamé Blas submitted a resignation letter to the head of the electoral body, Piero Corvetto Salinas, in which he assumed responsibility for the events. In the letter, the now ex-manager expressed profound regret for the inconveniences caused and asserted that his resignation aimed to avoid hindering the integrity and transparency of the vote count. Despite this gesture, the swift action by law enforcement indicates the gravity with which the authorities are treating the alleged omissions and their potential impact on public trust in the electoral system.
Text reads: “#PeruDecides In the face of irregularities in the distribution of electoral material, police and prosecutors arrested National Office of Electoral Processes’ Electoral Management Manager, José Samamé Blas, who was responsible for hiring the transport company Gálaga.”
The logistical crisis triggered widespread citizen protests and the temporary detention of polling station members outside various educational institutions that were unable to open their doors. Given the magnitude of these omissions, the Public Prosecutor’s Office intervened to investigate whether acts of corruption occurred during the selection of the supplier, particularly in comparison to other bidders.
This corruption probe will be crucial in determining whether the failures were due to mere negligence or a more deliberate scheme to compromise the elections, ensuring accountability and preventing future incidents.
The National Office of Electoral Processes has already announced its intention to initiate legal actions against the outsourced company for breach of contract, which severely tarnished the electoral day on April 12. Concurrently, the Public Ministry continues its investigations to clarify whether the delay in the arrival of materials was a technical oversight or a deliberate action intended to affect the elections.
Samamé Blas has been placed under the custody of the Directorate Against Corruption for legal investigations, in strict compliance with current regulations.
Failures in the logistical chain, particularly those involving the distribution of essential materials like ballots, can have far-reaching consequences, undermining public trust and potentially disenfranchising thousands of voters.
The swift governmental response, including the arrest of a high-ranking official and the initiation of a corruption probe, as Peru navigates this electoral crisis and strives to ensure fair and equitable elections for all its citizens.
Author: Laura V. Mor
Source: Agencies
