Peruvian President Kicked Out of Office by Lawmakers After Corruption Allegations
- Peru’s Congress has removed President Dina Boluarte from office after a string of scandals and ongoing corruption investigations
- Lawmakers accused Boluarte of “permanent moral incapacity,” citing bribery claims, protest deaths, and an unauthorised cosmetic surgery
- Congress president José Jerí Oré became interim leader and must now call elections under Peru’s constitution
Peruvian president Dina Boluarte has been removed from office following a late-night congressional vote that united lawmakers from across the political divide.
The dramatic ouster came after months of mounting corruption allegations and investigations into her role in a violent crackdown on protesters in 2022 that left more than 60 people dead.
Source: Getty Images
Congress removes Dina Boluarte amid corruption scandal
The motion, citing Boluarte’s “permanent moral incapacity,” was approved on Thursday, October 9, after she refused to attend the session or deliver a defense.
CNN reported that her removal extends Peru’s long-running political turmoil, making her the latest in a series of leaders to be forced from office over corruption and abuse-of-power claims.
Congress president José Jerí Oré, 38, has assumed the role of interim president. Under the constitution, he is expected to organise new elections within the coming months.
Boluarte, who became Peru’s first female president in 2022 after the impeachment and arrest of Pedro Castillo, had struggled to maintain public trust since taking office. Castillo’s failed attempt to dissolve Congress and establish emergency rule plunged the country into chaos, and Boluarte’s government soon faced its own legitimacy crisis amid widespread protests and a deadly state response.
Investigators allege that Boluarte accepted luxury gifts, including Rolex watches and jewelry, from wealthy individuals seeking political favors.
She also faces accusations of using a presidential vehicle to transport a fugitive politician. One of the more bizarre claims against her involves a reported nose surgery in 2023, which she allegedly underwent without notifying Congress or delegating her duties as constitutionally required.
Source: Getty Images
She maintained that the procedure was necessary for her health, but the surgeon later told authorities it was entirely cosmetic.
Peru faces renewed turmoil after presidential ouster
Boluarte's removal marks another chapter in Peru’s deepening leadership instability. Since 2000, at least seven presidents have been investigated or tried for corruption or human rights violations.
One former president died by suicide in 2019 when police arrived to arrest him over bribery charges.
Even Boluarte’s traditional allies turned against her in recent weeks. Prominent right-wing factions such as Rafael López Aliaga’s Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori’s Popular Force backed the motion to remove her, signaling the erosion of her political base.
Peru remains mired in crisis, grappling with high crime rates and economic uncertainty. Earlier this year, the government declared a state of emergency in Lima and the province of Callao after a surge in violent crime, including the killing of a well-known musician.
Protesting Peru residents block trains
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that train services to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru's main tourist attraction, were suspended Monday as protesting residents placed logs and rocks on the tracks, police and PeruRail said.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the ancient fortified complex receives some 4,500 visitors on average each day, many of them foreigners, according to the tourism ministry.
Authorities have not given a figure for stranded tourists or an evacuation plan.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
