Peruvian candidate named Hitler Mussolini wins mayoral election

A Peruvian candidate named Hitler Mussolini Simeon Flores emerged as the virtual winner of Sunday's mayoral election in the Andean district of Queropalca, drawing attention because his name coincides with those of two of the 20th century's most notorious dictators.

Flores, 45, ran for the Ahora Nacion party and received 229 votes, equivalent to 34.54% of valid ballots, local media reported Friday.

His closest rival, Gaspar Benilde Osorio Zambrano of Renovacion Popular Peru, secured 204 votes, or 30.77%, while Itala Yovana Santillan Vara of Pais para Todos came third with 187 votes, accounting for 28.21% of valid ballots, according to local media reports.

Two other candidates received considerably fewer votes. Alianza para el Progreso secured 35 votes, or 5.28%, while the Partido Democratico Somos Peru received eight votes, representing 1.21%.

A total of 707 ballots were cast in the district, including 663 valid votes, 30 blank ballots and 14 invalid ballots.

Flores led his closest rival by 25 votes, while the difference between the first- and third-place candidates was 42 votes.

Local outlet Ahora Regional reported Friday that Flores had emerged as the virtual winner. Peru's electoral authorities had counted all three tally sheets from the district, although formal proclamation of the winner was still pending, according to Peruvian media reports.

The candidate's name recalls Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, and Benito Mussolini, Italy's Fascist dictator during World War II.

Peru has previously had another local politician named Hitler. Hitler Alba served as mayor of the Andean town of Yungar from 2011 to 2014 and returned to office after winning another local election in 2018, according to media reports.

The vote was part of Peru's 2026 regional and municipal elections, held on Oct. 4 to choose local authorities across the country.