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Peru has a new leader. Amid soaring crime and corruption allegations, President Dina Boluarte was impeached on Thursday night. But as John Otis reports, her replacement has also been plagued by scandal.
JOHN OTIS: Dina Boluarte was the first woman to serve as Peru's president, but she came to the job by accident.
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DINA BOLUARTE: (Speaking Spanish).
OTIS: She was elected vice president in 2021, then took over the top job the following year when her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was arrested for trying to seize dictatorial powers.
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UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Shouting in non-English language).
OTIS: As president, Boluarte got off to a rough start. Peruvian security forces killed dozens of anti-government protesters who were demanding that Castillo be returned to power. She's also under investigation for corruption. In a scandal known as Rolexgate, Boluarte is accused of accepting Rolex watches and other luxury items as bribes. But what proved her undoing was a nationwide crime wave, including the killings of bus drivers who were being extorted by criminal gangs.
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SUSEL PAREDES: (Speaking Spanish).
OTIS: Congresswoman Susel Paredes said, "the insecurity is absolute. They are killing bus drivers sitting at the steering wheel."
All this caused Boluarte's job approval rating and her support among lawmakers to plunge. Peru's Congress, which can oust presidents simply by voting against them, did just that.
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PAREDES: (Speaking Spanish).
OTIS: During the impeachment process Thursday night, Paredes addressed the president, saying, we demand that you go home. We are firing you. Get out, Dina.
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PRESIDENT JOSE JERI: (Speaking Spanish).
OTIS: Boluarte was replaced by Jose Jeri, who was the head of Congress and oversaw the vote to impeach her. He is to serve until presidential elections can be held next year. But the 38-year-old Jeri brings his own baggage to the job. In December, he was accused of rape. Jeri denied the charges and Peru's attorney general ended up dropping them.
CAROLINA TRIVELLI: Actually, he was asked to attend special psychological treatment. He didn't attend it. He's a pretty obscure new politician.
OTIS: That's Lima political analyst Carolina Trivelli. She claims Peru's Congress has become too powerful and is constantly removing presidents. Indeed, the country has had eight presidents in just the past decade.
For NPR News, I'm John Otis. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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