(MENAFN) Peru’s Congress has decisively removed President Dina Boluarte from office and swiftly appointed congressional leader Jose Jeri as her interim successor, responding to widespread public outrage over crime and corruption allegations.

In a unanimous 124-0 vote early Friday, lawmakers invoked a constitutional provision citing “permanent moral incapacity” to declare the presidency vacant. Boluarte’s removal comes after months of intensifying political pressure and ongoing criminal probes.

Boluarte, 63, faced a dramatic collapse in public support, with approval ratings plunging to as low as 2%, amid explosive accusations including bribery and her alleged role in deadly crackdowns on protesters—charges she consistently denied.

Under Peru’s constitution, 38-year-old Jose Jeri Ore, who assumed the congressional presidency only in July and represents the conservative Somos Peru party, will serve as acting president and is tasked with calling new elections. His ascent places him among the globe’s youngest national leaders.

Dina Boluarte made history as Peru’s first female president in 2022, succeeding Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and detained after attempting to dissolve Congress and govern by decree. However, her administration was soon engulfed in scandal.

The most severe controversy involved security forces’ violent response to protests following Castillo’s arrest, which led to over 60 fatalities. Additional allegations against Boluarte include illicit enrichment—specifically claims of receiving Rolex watches and other jewelry as bribes—and misuse of a presidential vehicle to transport a fugitive lawmaker.

Critics further condemned Boluarte for abandoning her duties in 2023 to undergo cosmetic nose surgery without officially delegating presidential powers during her nearly two-week absence, violating legal protocols. Boluarte defended the procedure as medically necessary, though the surgeon reportedly described it as purely aesthetic.

Friday’s impeachment was fueled by a surge in violent crime, sparking public fury. National police data reveal extortion cases have skyrocketed from a few hundred per year in 2017 to more than 2,000 monthly this year. The crime wave has included deadly attacks on bus drivers and businesses targeted with explosives, prompting a state of emergency declaration in Lima earlier this year.

Media reported on the unfolding crisis, highlighting the urgency of Peru’s political upheaval amid escalating violence and governance challenges.

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