Peru’s Congress has impeached President Dina Boluarte after accusing her of failing to address rising crime and corruption, ending a turbulent term marked by protests, investigations, and public discontent.
Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly late Thursday to remove Boluarte for “permanent moral incapacity,” a constitutional clause frequently used to unseat presidents in Peru’s volatile politics.
Following the vote, Jose Jeri, 38, head of the legislature, was sworn in as interim president shortly after midnight on Friday. He pledged to lead a transitional government until general elections scheduled for April 2026.
“The main enemy is outside, in the streets — the criminal gangs, the crime groups. We must declare war on them,” Jeri said in his first speech as president, promising a strong response to Peru’s spiraling insecurity.
Political Turmoil and Public Anger
Boluarte’s removal adds to Peru’s long-running political instability — she is the seventh president in nine years. Her tenure, which began in December 2022 after the ousting of Pedro Castillo, was dogged by corruption allegations, mass protests, and a surge in violent crime.
Congress summoned Boluarte to appear before lawmakers late Thursday, but she failed to attend, prompting a swift impeachment vote that saw 118 legislators back her removal.
Her lawyer, Juan Carlos Portugal, criticized the process as rushed and unfair, claiming Boluarte was denied sufficient time to prepare her defense.
Outside the National Congress in Lima, dozens of protesters gathered to celebrate her ouster, waving banners reading “Down with Dina.”
Congresswoman Norma Yarrow of the right-wing Popular Renewal Party said, “The country has been mistreated by the cabinet and the president. Extortion and crime have increased — she deserves punishment.”
Scandals and Declining Popularity
Boluarte, 63, consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting her administration was committed to tackling crime. However, she faced multiple investigations, including one dubbed “Rolexgate”, over undeclared luxury watches and jewelry.
Her approval rating plummeted further after granting herself a pay rise in July and following the passage of a controversial law mandating young workers to contribute to private pension funds amid widespread unemployment.
Public anger deepened as Peru battled an unprecedented wave of violence driven by extortion rings and organized crime.
Boluarte becomes the third Peruvian president impeached in less than a decade, underscoring the country’s deep political divisions and ongoing struggle for stability.
