Peru's Congress Impeaches Dina Boluarte, Installs José Jerí as Interim President

This was the eighth attempt to begin impeachment proceedings against Boluarte. Rising levels of crime and insecurity were the principal issues cited in the four motions to vacate that were presented in Congress on October 9. Quarterly homicide rates have consistently surpassed 550 murders since mid-2024, up from around 350 per quarter at the start of Boluarte’s term, and a wave of extortions have afflicted the capital, Lima, and other areas of the country. The final straw for legislators appeared to be a shooting that took place at a cumbia concert held in a military-controlled arena in Lima on October 8 that left four performers injured.

The motions also pointed to various scandals that plagued Boluarte throughout her term. She is currently under investigation for her role in the police and military killings of nearly 50 mostly rural and indigenous demonstrators who were protesting the removal of Castillo at the beginning of her term. In the months that followed, she faced accusations of misusing her office to acquire expensive watches, jewelry, and plastic surgery. Boluarte leaves the presidency with an approval rating hovering around 3 percent, one of the lowest in the world.

Despite a political trajectory connected to Peru’s left, Boluarte was shielded from previous impeachment attempts by a pact with right-wing parties in Congress. With elections scheduled for April 12, 2026, in a context in which less than 2 percent of the electorate approves of Congress, those congressional blocs retracted their support for the unpopular president. 

Among the high-profile contenders for the presidency are Lima’s right-wing mayor Rafael López Aliaga of Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori of the People’s Force, a former congresswoman and the eldest daughter of former authoritarian President Alberto Fujimori. Both candidates’ parties supported the October 10 impeachment, after having blocked previous motions during Boluarte’s term.

In an address to the nation following the impeachment vote, Boluarte defended her record. She said that, following the turbulence of the departure of Castillo, she had thought not of herself, “but the more than 34 million Peruvians who deserve growth with democratic stability and a government that works without corruption.” She also listed projects in health, education, and public infrastructure that her government had implemented. Boluarte did not appear in person to defend herself during the impeachment process despite being summoned by Congress.