Peru’s Congress Rejects Motions to Impeach President Dina Boluarte

In a significant development, the Peruvian Congress dismissed three motions aimed at impeaching President Dina Boluarte on Friday. The motions, numbered 11507, 11508, and 11512, were primarily introduced by opposition legislators, mainly from leftist factions, who sought to declare Boluarte’s “permanent moral incapacity” to serve as president under Article 113.2 of the Peru Constitution.

Allegations Against President Boluarte

The opposition cited several reasons for their impeachment efforts:

1. Abandonment of Post: Legislators accused Boluarte of abandoning her duties for 12 days between June and July 2023 to allegedly undergo cosmetic procedures.
2. Family-Related Investigations: She was also accused of deactivating a special unit of the National Police of Peru (PNP) that was collaborating with the Special Team of Prosecutors against Corruption of Power (Eficcop) just one day before her brother, Nicanor Boluarte, faced preliminary detention as part of a prosecutorial investigation.
3. Violations of Constitutional Protocols: The accusations included traveling abroad without vice presidents in place, despite a law permitting her to manage the presidential office remotely.
4. Illicit Enrichment: Investigations into her alleged undeclared luxury watches and jewelry were also highlighted, reminiscent of the previous “Rolex Gate” scandal.

Congressional Proceedings

During a live broadcast of the plenary session via the Peruvian Congress’ Facebook account, legislators debated the merits of the three motions. According to parliamentary protocol, the impeachment process required the support of at least 40% of the active congress members, equating to 47 out of 117 legislators. Despite the efforts of the opposition, the motions failed to secure the necessary support and were ultimately rejected by a simple majority vote, leading to their archival.

Background and Implications

This attempt to impeach President Boluarte mirrors previous efforts, such as those involved in the “Rolex Gate” scandal, where similar accusations regarding undeclared luxury items were raised but did not result in impeachment. The rejection of these motions signifies a temporary reprieve for Boluarte, allowing her to continue her tenure amidst ongoing political turbulence.

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