Daniel Wolfram
A left-wing politician named after two famous dictators just became mayor in Peru.
It is not often that a local election in Peru is worth writing about.
While the country is the third biggest in South America, there is not usually news about local elections.
But the local man who won the mayoral election has a head-turning name.
Hitler Mussolini
Over the weekend, Hitler Mussolini Simeon Flores was elected mayor in the small town of Queropalca, high up in the Peruvian Andes.
Only 700 voters cast their votes in the town, which ultimately saw Hitler Mussolini win about 34% of those votes.
Little is known about the now-mayor-elect and why he is named after two of the most notorious dictators, other than that he ran for the centre-left Ahora Nación party. Here, he narrowly beat out his opponent from the right-wing Popular Renewal Peru party by 25 votes.
A ‘striking event’
It is therefore unknown if Hitler Mussolini Simeon Flores is aware of how unusual his name is, but news in Peru has also picked up on the small town’s now-infamous mayor.
According to the BBC, local news outlet Peru21 calls Hitler Mussolini’s name and candidacy a “striking event.”
Even though he shares a name with two of the most well-known figures of modern European totalitarian regimes, it appears that he does not share their ideology.
Not the first Hitler to win an election in Peru
Surprisingly, this is not the first time a man with the name of Hitler has won a local election in Peru.
Back in 2018, another Peruvian politician named Hitler Guesclin Alba Sánchez won an election for mayor in the district of Yúngar.
In that election, Hitler beat out his opponent Lenin Vladimir Rodríguez Valverde. The mayor ran and won with the slogan “I’m the good Hitler.”
