Peru’s president impeached by Congress, legislature chief sworn
in Peru’s Congress has voted unanimously to remove President Dina Boluarte from office on grounds of “moral incapacity,” marking another dramatic twist in the nation’s ongoing political crisis.
The decision came late on Thursday after Boluarte failed to appear before lawmakers to defend herself against allegations of corruption and abuse of power. Boluarte, 63, was deeply unpopular, with approval ratings hovering between 2% and 4%.
Her presidency was marred by accusations of illicit enrichment including undeclared Rolex watches and deadly crackdowns on protests that erupted after she replaced ousted leftist leader Pedro Castillo in 2022.
In a late-night address, Boluarte acknowledged Congress’s decision, saying, “At every moment, I called for unity,” while warning of implications for Peru’s democracy.
Outside Congress, crowds gathered some celebrating, others anxious as rumors swirled she might seek asylum at Ecuador’s embassy.
Her removal extends Peru’s revolving door of leaders: three former presidents are behind bars, and another election looms in April 2026.
Earlier on
Shortly after midnight, Peru’s Congress swore in 38-year-old Jose Jeri as president, minutes after voting to remove Dina Boluarte.
The conservative Somos Perú politician, who became Congress president in July, is now the country’s seventh leader since 2016 one of the youngest heads of state in the world.
Wearing the red-and-white presidential sash, Jeri struck a defiant tone before lawmakers, pledging to make security his top priority.
“The main enemy is out there on the streets criminal gangs,” he declared. “We must declare war on crime.” His swift inauguration followed hours of political upheaval, with cross-party blocs uniting behind Boluarte’s removal after years of public anger over corruption and state violence.
Once a supporter of the ousted president, Jeri is now tasked with stabilizing a deeply fractured nation amid economic stagnation and widespread distrust in government.
Despite promising a new start, Jeri inherits the same institutional fragility that has unseated six predecessors and faces the enormous challenge of restoring faith in Peru’s battered democracy.
