Seventh President in Seven Years... Peru's President Finally Impeached

Unanimous Vote in Congress
Impeachment Cites Inability to Tackle Crime

The impeachment motion against President Dina Boluarte, known as Peru's first female president, has been passed by the Peruvian Congress.

According to Yonhap News, citing the Associated Press on October 10, the Peruvian Congress introduced a motion to remove President Dina Boluarte from office, citing her lack of ability to respond to crime. The motion was unanimously approved by all 124 lawmakers present.

Peruvian Congress voting on the impeachment motion against President Boluarte. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The Peruvian Congress requested President Boluarte to attend the impeachment hearing, but it is reported that she did not comply.

The Congress subsequently replaced President Boluarte with Jose Jeri, a 38-year-old lawyer and the current Speaker of the Congress.

The incident in question occurred just hours after a shooting at a concert in the capital city of Lima, which sparked nationwide outrage over crime. After Friday's vote, Boluarte stated on national television, "I was thinking not of myself, but of the Peruvian people."

The Associated Press reported that the Peruvian Congress has tabled a total of nine impeachment motions against Boluarte, including this one. This time, the motion received overwhelming support across party lines.

Boluarte, Peru's first female president, took office in December 2022 after Congress impeached her predecessor.

According to a July report by the Peruvian Institute, President Dina Boluarte's approval rating at the end of her term was only 2.5%, while the approval rating for Congress stood at 3%.

Since taking office in December 2022, President Boluarte has faced controversy over the so-called "Rolex Gate," in which she allegedly received multiple luxury Rolex watches as bribes, and is currently under investigation in 12 separate criminal and police cases.

In July, she faced strong criticism after issuing a presidential decree that more than doubled her monthly salary to 10,000 dollars (approximately 13.5 million won).

Meanwhile, Peru has experienced political turmoil, having changed presidents six times in the past nine years since 2016.

Peruvian society is also grappling with increasing social instability, as gang violence and murders continue and young people face job insecurity. In particular, after the government passed a law on the 5th requiring young people to enroll in private pensions, anti-government protests have intensified in recent weeks.