Peru’s congress voted to reject an impeachment motion against President Dina Boluarte on Tuesday, offering her breathing room after almost four months in office marked by anti-government unrest.
(Bloomberg) — Peru’s congress voted to reject an impeachment motion against President Dina Boluarte on Tuesday, offering her breathing room after almost four months in office marked by anti-government unrest.
Just 37 lawmakers, equivalent to a third of those present, voted in favor of admitting the impeachment motion, which would have then required a separate vote to oust Boluarte. Sixty-four voted against and 10 abstained.
Peru impeaches more presidents than virtually any other country in the world. Since 2018, lawmakers have fired two presidents while a third one resigned to avoid ouster.
Peru’s 2031 dollar bonds were edging higher Tuesday at 86.3 cents on the dollar, while the sol was little changed. The country’s benchmark stock index rose 0.1% Tuesday.
Boluarte was being questioned by left-wing lawmakers over the deaths of dozens of civilians in anti-government protests seeking her resignation and for new elections to be held. Still, the conservative-led congress sided with Boluarte and dismissed the impeachment attempt.
The motion was filed in January by left-wing lawmakers and congressional leadership had managed to delay its discussion until now.
Boluarte is also being investigated for alleged money laundering in the financing of the 2021 presidential race. Boluarte ran and won in the same ticket as former President Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and arrested in December. He was replaced by then-Vice President Boluarte.
–With assistance from Maria Elena Vizcaino.
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