[citation needed] In her last portfolio, she championed several structural reforms at social level, improving the societal conditions of the lower-income class, being credited with contributing the reduction of poverty from 48% to 28% from 2006 to 2011.

Upon graduation, she registered in the Peruvian Aprista Party, and subsequently enrolled in the National University of the Center of Peru in 1983 to study public accounting.

In her fourth year, she transferred to the Federico Villarreal National University in Lima, graduating with a bachelor's degree in public accounting in 1990.

[3] From 1992 to 1998, Vílchez turned to the private sector as she was hired as public administration consultant for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation office in Peru.

Upon the release of the first projections, the Peruvian Aprista Party failed to pass the electoral threshold for congressional representation, although she earned a high number of votes individually, trailing behind Mauricio Mulder.

In addition, the 2020 parliamentary election proved a major blow for the party as for the first time in almost 60 years did not have congressional representation, obtaining 2.7% of the popular vote.

[1] Vílchez filed her candidacy ticket on 27 October 2020 by announcing former deputy minister of Social Development, Iván Hidalgo, and former congresswoman Olga Cribilleros, as running-mates.

[7] Challenged by newcomer chemist and writer Rafael Zevallos and former congressional candidate Juan Carlos Sánchez, Vílchez managed to secure the nomination before the primary election held on 29 November 2020.