Peru's president removed amid rising crime, corruption allegations

"José Jerí, the president of Congress, was sworn in as Peru's acting president, the country's eighth leader in the past 10 years. "Today, we have to take immediate actions," the 38-year-old lawyer said in his first address before the legislature as president of the South American country. "The evil that afflicts us in this moment is insecurity in the streets, the criminal gangs, the criminal organizations. They are today our enemies, and, as enemies, we must declare war on nationwide crime.""

"Boluarte was Peru's first female president. After her removal Friday, she said she had accepted the presidency with "courage and love for my homeland." "In all moments, I called for unity to work together, to fight for our country," she said in a video statement. "I have not thought about myself but the more than 34 million Peruvians that deserve growth with democratic stability and with a government that works without corruption, as we have done during my government.""

"Boluarte, 63, took office in December 2022 on the impeachment, removal and arrest of her former running mate, Pedro Castillo. Castillo was ousted after attempting to dissolve the Congress and rule by decree. Castillo, a former schoolteacher, union leader and small-town mayor, had won office in 2021 as the outsider candidate of the Marxist-Leninist Free Peru party challenging a serially corrupt ruling establishment. Boluarte was a relative unknown when he tapped her as his vice-presidential running mate."

Peru's Congress voted to remove President Dina Boluarte amid worsening crime and allegations of personal corruption. José Jerí, president of Congress, was sworn in as acting president, becoming the country's eighth leader in the past ten years. Jerí pledged immediate action and declared a nationwide war on criminal gangs and organizations, calling insecurity the country's primary enemy. Boluarte, Peru's first female president, said she accepted the presidency with courage and love for her homeland and called for unity and democratic stability for more than 34 million Peruvians. Boluarte originally became president in December 2022 after the impeachment, removal and arrest of Pedro Castillo.

Read at The Washington Post