With Boluarte’s quick rise to the presidency, Peru saw its first female leader take office in 2022. She was ousted from her post on Thursday after a stunning late-night congressional vote. The decision followed multiple scandals and charges of corruption that have plagued her presidency from the start. Boluarte assumed office following the arrest of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo. He was impeached for attempting to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government.
Boluarte’s presidency is coming under heavy fire. Bribery and her alleged role in a 2022 crackdown on protesters that killed more than 30 have given the controversy six months of fire-fueling allegations. She’s been the subject of widely reported accusations of accepting luxury gifts and even cash bribes in the form of Rolex watches and other jewelry. Moreover, she is under heavy fire for some serious allegations. These charges are for the killings of more than 60 people during the protests that began after Castillo’s removal. Critics say Boluarte’s government mishandled these demonstrations from the start, resulting in needless deaths.
One of the most inflammatory incidents that brought about her downfall occurred in 2023. She was away from the presidency for almost two weeks while recovering from plastic surgery – a rhinoplasty. In the face of this crisis, she failed to notify Congress or transfer her authorities, both which led to claims of dereliction of duty charges. Now, Boluarte is accused of using a government owned presidential vehicle to transport a fugitive former politician. This incident only increases the severity of the worries about her leadership.
Notably, despite the severity of the allegations outlined against her, Boluarte has repeatedly denied culpability. She announced she would miss Thursday’s congressional vote. Her reward was to be ousted on charges of “permanent moral incapacity” for not sufficiently addressing the country’s organized crime crisis.
Despite losing its leader, the vote to remove her from office saw overwhelming bipartisan support. Notable parties that historically backed Boluarte, including Rafael Lopez’s Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori’s Popular Force, joined forces to initiate her ousting. This sharp bipartisan consensus reflects how legislators are running out of patience with Boluarte’s administration. Congressionally mandated report due. This is worrying, especially given the deteriorating security climate in Peru.
Peru’s security crisis is at a boiling point. In response, authorities have declared a state of emergency in the national capital and the neighboring province of Callao. Crime rates have escalated since the murder of a world-renowned musician. This dangerous increase has escalated public fear regarding safety and law enforcement accountability.
Peru’s political landscape has been quite the rollercoaster ride over the last twenty years. At least seven former presidents have been publicly pursued by legal challenges for corruption, human rights or similar abuses. An eighth president took the fatal step of shooting himself, though infamously, in despair as authorities caught up. Peru’s long history of political instability presents concerns over how the country will be governed moving forward. While the nation figures out how to reclaim our confidence, these unknowns are increasingly important.
