Peru’s leftist parties are seeking the impeachment of Dina Boluarte, the first attempt to remove the president in congress after she was sworn in last month, in the latest escalation of the country’s political crisis.
(Bloomberg) — Peru’s leftist parties are seeking the impeachment of Dina Boluarte, the first attempt to remove the president in congress after she was sworn in last month, in the latest escalation of the country’s political crisis.
WATCH: Protesters clash with police
Representatives of Peru Libre and other leftists groups presented late Wednesday a motion to discuss the impeachment of the president arguing “permanent moral incapacity,” a loose term that Peru’s constitution accepts as a cause to remove the leader from office. Lawmaker Guillermo Bermejo posted a copy of the motion on his Twitter account.
Boluarte, who in 2021 was elected vice president under a Peru Libre ticket, was appointed new head of state on Dec. 7 after President Pedro Castillo tried to suspend congress, rewrite the constitution and reorganize the courts in a move that led to his immediate impeachment.
In just seven weeks in power, she has sought to govern with the support of right-wing parties in the single-chamber parliament and the security forces amid increasing unrest in the Andean nation. The arrest of Castillo, who faces as many as 20 years in prison if found guilty of the crime of rebellion, has triggered the worst outbreak of violence in the country in decades.
Read More: Why a President’s Arrest Triggered Violence in Peru: QuickTake
For proceedings against Boluarte to start, at least 52 lawmakers — or 40% of the 130-member congress — would need to vote in favor of the impeachment motion. The vote of at least 87 of the lawmakers would then be needed at the end of the process for the formal removal of the president, an outcome that at the moment seems unlikely given the president still has the support of the conservative-controlled congress.
Demonstrators have blocked hundreds of roads and clashed with security forces, calling for the removal of Boluarte and the replacement of the legislature. Peru has turned into one of the world’s most politically volatile nations, with six different presidents attempting to manage the country in just four years.
Read More: Peru Protesters Battle Cops, Try to Oust Fragile Government
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.