A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Lima, Peru, April 12, 2026. Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress. Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Xinhua)

LIMA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress.

Balcazar said broad participation is key to strengthening democracy and ensuring legitimacy for elected authorities amid political instability in recent years.

"I believe that if we turn out in large numbers, we can mark a turning point for our democracy," he told Radio Programas del Peru.

He added that sufficient guarantees are in place to ensure a transparent process, citing the deployment of armed forces and police, as well as the presence of international observers.

Voting began at 7 a.m. local time across the country and will continue until 5 p.m., with more than 27 million voters eligible to cast ballots.

Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. ■

Soldiers stand guard at a polling station in Lima, Peru, April 12, 2026. Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress.

Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Xinhua)

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Lima, Peru, April 12, 2026. Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress.

Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Xinhua)

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Lima, Peru, April 12, 2026. Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress.

Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Xinhua)

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station in Lima, Peru, April 12, 2026. Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress.

Voters are electing a president, two vice presidents, 60 senators and 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, marking the return to a bicameral legislature after 30 years. (Photo by Mariana Bazo/Xinhua)