Peru's Congress on Friday voted to remove deeply unpopular President Dina Boluarte from office, citing her government's inability to curb crime. 

Before midnight on Thursday, lawmakers requested that Boluarte appear before them to defend herself. When she did not appear, shortly after midnight, lawmakers voted to oust Boluarte from office. 

In contrast to the previous eight attempts to remove her, almost all legislative factions have expressed support for the latest impeachment requests.

Congress leader becomes interim president

Congress leader Jose Jeri announced that 118 out of 122 lawmakers voted for her impeachment, removing her from the presidency, citing her "moral incapacity" to carry out her duties. 

"The president's impeachment has been approved," said Jeri, who shortly later was sworn in as interim president until elections in April 2026.

"Today, I humbly assume the presidency of the republic... in order to install and lead a transitional government," Jeri told parliament after being sworn in.

"The main enemy is out there on the streets: criminal gangs," he said. "We must declare war on crime."

Why was Boluarte impeached?

The impeachment came just hours after a shooting at a concert in the capital city of Peru, Lima, inflamed anger over the country's rampant crime.

Boluarte took office in December 2022, following parliament's impeachment of her predecessor using the same mechanism that removed her. She was Peru's first female president.

However, her government has struggled to respond to the spike in crime, particularly homicides and extortion.

Official figures show that 6,041 people were killed between January and mid-August, which is the highest number during this period since 2017.

Meanwhile, there were 15,989 extortion complaints between January and July, which is a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The Boluarte administration failed to address Peru's ongoing crime problems and was plagued by scandals, which ultimately led to its downfall.

Edited by: Sean Sinico