Peru’s political rollercoaster just took another wild turn as its Congress gave President Dina Boluarte the boot in a late-night showdown, as the New York Post reports.
In a stunning move shortly after midnight on Friday, Peru’s lawmakers unanimously voted to remove Boluarte and swore in Congress chief Jose Jeri as the new president less than an hour later, marking yet another chapter of instability in a nation that’s cycled through seven leaders since 2016.
The drama kicked off late Thursday when lawmakers from all sides of the political aisle summoned Boluarte to defend herself before Congress, but she didn’t show up. Apparently, she thought playing hide-and-seek with accountability was the better option. Too bad for her -- Congress had the votes to push through a rapid impeachment without her presence.
The grounds for Boluarte’s removal were rooted in claims of moral incapacity, with lawmakers pointing to the economic fallout from skyrocketing crime, persistent corruption allegations, and the so-called Rolexgate scandal involving her flashy collection of luxury watches. If you’re going to lead a struggling nation, maybe don’t double your salary while sporting high-end bling -- that’s just bad optics.
The tipping point may have been a violent incident earlier in the week on Wednesday, when members of the beloved cumbia band Agua Marina were injured in a shooting at a military-owned venue during a concert. Public outrage over rising crime seemed to fuel the final push to oust her. When even musicians aren’t safe, something’s gotta give.
Boluarte, 63, has denied all wrongdoing, despite approval ratings scraping the bottom of the barrel at a measly 2% to 4%. With accusations of illicit enrichment and responsibility for deadly crackdowns on protests supporting her predecessor, it’s no shock the public wasn’t buying her excuses.
Let’s rewind a bit -- Boluarte rose to power in December 2022 after her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was ousted and arrested for trying to dissolve Congress. His removal sparked months of brutal protests, especially in rural Andean and Indigenous areas, with rights groups slamming Boluarte’s administration for excessive force against demonstrators. This isn’t leadership; it’s a masterclass in losing trust.
Fast forward to Friday’s vote, and Congress pulled an about-face after previously rejecting motions to remove her that never even made it to debate. This time, even right-wing allies like Rafael Lopez’s Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori’s Popular Force -- both eyeing presidential runs in April 2026—jumped on the impeachment bandwagon. Loyalty in politics, it seems, is as fleeting as a TikTok trend.
Outside Congress and Ecuador’s embassy, crowds gathered, some speculating Boluarte might seek asylum across the border. Others were in a downright festive mood, waving flags, dancing, and playing instruments as if they’d just won the lottery. Who can blame them for celebrating the end of a disastrous tenure?
Enter Jose Jeri, the 38-year-old conservative from the Somos Peru party, who became Congress president in July and now finds himself as Peru’s latest head of state. He’s stepping into a mess of epic proportions, with political instability so entrenched that three former leaders are currently behind bars. Talk about a tough first day on the job.
Jeri didn’t waste time laying out his priorities, declaring to Congress, “The main enemy is out there on the streets: criminal gangs. We must declare war on crime.” Bold words, but let’s hope he’s got a plan beyond rhetoric -- Peruvians deserve more than just tough talk after years of chaos.
Meanwhile, Boluarte, speaking from the presidential palace after her ouster, lamented, “With the implications this has for the stability of democracy in our country.” Oh, now she’s worried about democracy? Perhaps she should’ve thought about that before her administration became synonymous with scandal and repression.
Peru’s revolving door of leadership isn’t just a quirky footnote -- it’s a symptom of deeper systemic failures that no amount of progressive posturing can fix. Crime is rampant, corruption festers, and public trust in government is practically nonexistent.
Jeri’s got a steep hill to climb if he wants to restore any semblance of order. For now, the nation watches as yet another president takes the reins amid uncertainty.
Will Jeri’s conservative roots bring the stability Peru so desperately needs, or will he be just another name in a long list of short-lived leaders? Only time will tell, but one thing’s certain -- Peruvians are tired of empty promises.