Dina Boluarte assumed the position of Constitutional Vice President of Peru on July 28, 2021. Later, on December 7, 2022, after the removal of Pedro Castillo for attempting to establish a "government of exception," Boluarte made history by becoming the first female President of the country. In her first speech to the nation, she called for a political truce to form a national unity government and promised strong measures against corruption in the State. However, her administration has been marked by growing social discontent.
According to recent data from the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos (IEP), 88% of the population feels dissatisfied with her government, a slight decrease from the 90% recorded in May and July 2024, but still an alarming figure. Boluarte's credibility is seriously questioned, with 71% of those surveyed distrustful of her statements. Compared to former President Pedro Castillo, Boluarte faces greater rejection: 89% of citizens express little or no confidence in her, compared to 70% who felt the same about Castillo. Dissatisfaction is equally high in critical areas such as the fight against corruption and citizen security, with 83% disapproving of the government's anti-corruption policies and 82% dissatisfied with the management of citizen security, a crucial issue amid the country's security crisis.
Discontent has been exacerbated by suspicions of corruption and a governmental management questioned by several incidents. A notable case is Boluarte's undeclared possession of Rolex watches, a symbol associated with corruption in Peruvian politics. In the 1990s, Vladimiro Montesinos, former presidential advisor, used these watches for bribes, and Jorge Barata, representative of the construction company Odebrecht, gifted luxury watches to former President Alan García for similar purposes.
Peruvian legislation requires public officials to declare all their assets, including valuable items exceeding two tax units, equivalent to 10,300 soles. However, Boluarte failed to declare these watches in a sworn statement, contravening article 2 of Law N° 27482, which requires both the possession and origin of these assets to be reported to avoid conflicts of interest.
The situation became even more complicated when Boluarte claimed the watches had been "borrowed," which raised further suspicions along with the lack of documentation to support her claims. This led the Prosecutor's Office to initiate an investigation on March 18, 2024, for alleged illicit enrichment and unexplained wealth disparity. During a raid conducted by the Division of Investigation of High Complexity Crimes (DIVIAC) on March 29, the authorities did not find the watches in Boluarte's residence, but they did find jewelry and a document related to a watch whose buyer could not be identified. On April 5, Boluarte issued a statement calling it a "mistake" to have borrowed the watches, which only intensified doubts about the transparency of her administration.
The controversy deepened when it was discovered that Boluarte had been absent from the public agenda for several days in July 2023, in a tense political context. It was revealed that during this period, the President underwent cosmetic procedures, violating Peruvian regulations that require permission to be requested for absences from office and delegation of power in her absence. This lack of transparency and breach of the constitutional mandate increased the negative perception of her administration. Presidential spokesperson Fredy Hinojosa defended the president, arguing that her private life was not a matter of public interest and reaffirming her right to privacy. However, the breach of article 115 of the Peruvian Constitution, which regulates presidential absences, could constitute a constitutional infringement.
To these controversies is added the most serious accusation: sixteen Peruvian citizens, including former ministers, have accused Dina Boluarte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) of crimes against humanity. The complaint, filed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Pro Human Rights Association of Peru (Aprodeh), focuses on the 49 deaths that occurred during social protests between December 2022 and February 2023, during the beginning of Boluarte's government. According to the accusation, the repression of demonstrations was characterized by the excessive, disproportionate, and indiscriminate use of force by security forces, primarily directed against young people and indigenous people. The report submitted to the ICC describes a systematic pattern of lethal force use, arguing that such acts constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute. Additionally, a second complaint for the same incident is already underway before the international body, highlighting this questioned administration.
The situation of Dina Boluarte before the International Criminal Court is extremely delicate. Despite the Peruvian government's efforts to discredit the accusations, the seriousness of the complaints and the growing international pressure could significantly impact her political future and the stability of a country already affected by the crisis. Amid this turbulence and discontent, can President Boluarte overcome the criticisms and restore her authority in Peru?
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