Peru is experiencing a wave of violence caused by extortion gangs, with particular focus on the recent attack on a band during a concert.
The Peruvian Congress approved in the early hours of this Friday (10/10) the dismissal of Dina Boluarte from the office of President of the Republic
The parliamentarians had summoned the head of state to present his defense before the vote, but Boluarte refused, deeming the process “unconstitutional”.
“This is simply a violation of any procedure. We will not validate it!”, said Juan Carlos Portugal, one of the president’s lawyers.
After waiting 20 minutes for the president and noting her absence, the parliamentarians decided to vote, claiming that, after a day of debates, there was nothing left to discuss. The revocation was approved unanimously, with 118 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.
Peru is experiencing a wave of violence caused by extortion gangs, with particular focus on the recent attack on a band during a concert.
The head of Congress, José Jerí, took office by constitutional succession, after the rejection of a motion of censure against the board of directors chaired by him.
“We must declare war on crime. The enemies are the street gangs,” he said shortly after donning the presidential sash, vowing to lead a government of reconciliation.
Jerí will command the country until the next elections, scheduled for April 2026. The new president is scheduled to take office on July 28 of the same year.
Quick dismissal
MPs from various benches presented four vacancy motions due to the “permanent moral incapacity” of President Dina Boluarte. All were approved by a large majority with the support of right-wing parties and Fujimorism, which had previously supported him.
The impeachment process began on Thursday morning (9/10), on the initiative of the Popular Renewal college (Renovación Popular), led by the mayor of Lima, the ultra-conservative Rafael López Aliaga, known as Porky.
The motions for the vacancies were tabled amid a crisis of violence and crime in the Andean country, a day after the attack on popular cumbia band Agua Marina during a concert at a military compound in Lima’s Chorrillos district.
Four members of the group were shot in the chest and leg.
Various political forces had called for a response from the government to the “impunity” with which extortion gangs operate in the country.
Previous proposals for vacancies had been rejected thanks to support from conservative parties and some left-wing allies. This time, however, Boluarte’s dismissal was supported by influential acronyms, such as Popular Force (Fuerza Popular), by former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, and Popular Renewal (Renovación Popular), by López Aliaga, the current mayor of Lima.
Both are identified as possible candidates for the 2026 elections and leaders in the polls.
“Extortion and crime have grown, but no [a presidente] continues to live in fantasy. This president deserves to be removed, he deserves to be punished,” said conservative Congresswoman Norma Yarrow, during the debate preceding the impeachment vote.
Boluarte took office on December 7, 2022, after the dismissal and arrest of Pedro Castillo, accused of attempted coup.
Since 2018, Peru has had six presidents, all of whom have been dismissed or resigned. Three former representatives are in prison for corruption or abuse of power.
Attack that worsened the crisis
The attack on the musical group Agua Marina occurred on Wednesday evening (8/10), during a show with several groups and artists at the Círculo Militar de Chorrillos, in Lima.
When the band members were on stage, a barrage of gunfire interrupted the show.
According to witnesses reported to the Peruvian press, many spectators initially mistook the sound of the shots for that of a short circuit.
Videos published on social media show the moment one of the injured musicians is helped onto the stage, while the group abandons the place amid the confusion. The audience threw themselves on the ground and waited to leave the venue.
According to General Felipe Monroy, of the Peruvian National Police, initial investigations indicate that the attack was carried out by two men on a motorcycle, who fired while moving away from the scene.
Police collected 27 capsules, apparently from a 9mm Parabellum pistol.
Dr. Ricardo Villarán, of the Guillermo Almenara National Hospital, reported that César More and Wilson Ruiz, members of the group, are hospitalized, but in stable conditions and without risk of death.
Casimiro Ulloa Emergency Hospital released a statement saying it had treated a 50-year-old man with a minor gunshot wound, who has now been released.
The police reported that they had strengthened the security of the families of the members of the attacked musical group and had activated a special operation in Lima, called Plano Cerco, to identify the perpetrators of the attack.
Although investigations are ongoing to confirm the motives for the attack, everything indicates that the group is being targeted by the criminal extortion gangs that have proliferated in Peru in recent years.
Surveys show that crime has become a major concern for Peruvian citizens, and extortion by companies and businesses has become one of the most common topics of conversation.
Source: Terra
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