Lima: Peru has plunged deeper into political uncertainty as lawmakers from across the spectrum renewed their efforts to remove President Dina Boluarte from office. Multiple impeachment motions were filed in Congress on Thursday, signaling growing frustration within the legislature and among the public toward the embattled leader, whose popularity has dropped to record lows.
The Peruvian Congress saw a dramatic escalation of tensions as four separate impeachment motions were introduced, each accusing Boluarte of corruption, abuse of power, and mismanagement. What makes this attempt significant is that even conservative parties that once supported the president such as Popular Force and Popular Renewal have now joined the opposition chorus. This marks the broadest coalition yet seeking Boluarte’s removal since she assumed power nearly three years ago.
For any of the motions to advance, at least 52 lawmakers must vote in favor of opening formal impeachment proceedings. The final ouster, however, would require 87 votes, a threshold that has proven elusive in previous attempts. Yet, this time, analysts say momentum is clearly shifting, with as many as 98 legislators reportedly leaning toward supporting the motion.
Boluarte faces multiple accusations ranging from illicit enrichment to failure to declare luxury assets, including expensive watches, and nepotistic decisions within her administration. Critics also accuse her of exacerbating social divisions and overseeing heavy-handed crackdowns during the nationwide protests that followed the removal of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, in late 2022.
Human rights organizations have condemned the government for its response to those demonstrations, during which dozens were killed, mostly from rural and indigenous communities. The anger sparked by those events has not faded; instead, it has fueled ongoing distrust toward the government and institutions widely viewed as detached from ordinary citizens’ struggles.
Dina Boluarte, who rose from the vice presidency after Castillo’s failed attempt to dissolve Congress, initially promised stability and reform. However, her presidency has been marred by constant cabinet reshuffles, mounting corruption probes, and a collapsing approval rating now reportedly below 10%, one of the lowest in Latin America.
Adding to her woes, Boluarte has faced intense criticism for approving a salary increase for herself and for failing to address Peru’s spiraling crime rates and economic stagnation. Her administration has become a symbol of the chronic instability that has plagued Peru’s democracy for nearly two decades.
If Congress succeeds in removing Boluarte, the presidency would pass to José Jerí, the current head of Congress himself an unpopular figure with little public trust. The situation underscores a deeper institutional breakdown: Peru currently has no vice president, and the political system remains locked in a cycle of short-lived governments.
Since 2018, Peru has seen six presidents, four of whom have faced criminal charges or imprisonment. The ongoing turmoil has severely weakened public confidence in both the executive and legislative branches, eroding the country’s democratic foundation.
With general elections scheduled for April 2026, the renewed impeachment drive could either hasten a political reset or plunge the nation further into turmoil. Business groups and international observers have warned that continued instability could harm economic recovery and foreign investment.
As the impeachment debate intensifies, Peruvians brace for yet another showdown in a nation where no presidency in recent memory has survived a full term. Whether Dina Boluarte can weather this storm or whether Congress will deliver another historic ouster will define Peru’s fragile democracy in the months to come.