Vizcarra was born in Lima, the son of César Vizcarra Vargas, who was an American Popular Revolutionary Alliance(APRA) member, and Doris Cornejo, an elementary school teacher. His father was mayor of Moquegua and a member of the Constituent Assembly of 1978. His family was based in Moquegua, but moved to Lima due to a pulmonary complication that put him on the verge of death at his birth. Vizcarra has stated that his father had a lasting impact on his life.