Peru lawmakers make fresh push to remove unpopular president from office
LIMA (Reuters) – A bloc of opposition lawmakers in Peru on Thursday introduced a new motion to impeach President Dina Boluarte, one of the world’s most unpopular leaders.
The proposal is the latest in a series of proposals that have failed so far and comes as the South American country prepares for elections next April.
The motion, which aims to dismiss Boluarte due to “permanent moral deficiency”, was signed by at least 34 MPs from various parties.
At least 52 people must approve it in an upcoming plenary session of Congress before it can be discussed in a separate session that will decide whether it can proceed.
Boluarte came to power in December 2022 after his predecessor, President Pedro Castillo, for whom he served as vice president, was deposed and arrested following an attempt to dissolve Congress.
Castillo’s dismissal was met with months of widespread, deadly protests, especially in rural Andes and indigenous communities, and human rights groups accused Boluarte’s government of using excessive force to suppress the protests.
He was also involved in allegations of illicit enrichment involving undeclared assets and Rolex watches. In July, he decided to double his salary.
Approval rates hover between 2% and 4%.
Peru’s conservative-dominated Congress has so far rejected motions to begin the process of impeaching him, but with six months to go until elections, more lawmakers have expressed support for the motion.
Peru has had six presidents since 2018, and four former leaders are currently behind bars.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Kylie Madry)
