Peru is no stranger to democratic instability. The nation has had 7 leaders in the past 6 years, and their current President doesn’t seem to be taking her role too seriously. In this article, Sahana Srikanth examines the legacy of the current Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, explaining the impacts of the world’s least popular president.
In December 2022, ex-lawyer Dina Boluarte was sworn into office as Peru’s first female President. However, her appointment wasn’t just a historic victory; it was also a massive loss. That’s because Boluarte has compromised the nation’s success by pushing the country towards democratic backsliding. In fact, Freedom House called Peru the country of the Americas where democracy declined the most in 2023, just a year after Boluarte’s term began. And the people aren’t happy seeing their democracy slowly vanish. Boluarte has been named the world’s most unpopular leader, polling at a global low of 3%. Given that the survey’s margin of error was 2.8%, Boluarte’s approval ratings may actually be a clean 0% support–which is unsurprising, given her actions and her apathy.
Boluarte has made a name for herself as a “president who lives in hiding”. Beyond raising questions about what she does with her time, it promotes the perception that she isn’t interested in being an active citizen of Peru. She has kept so low of a profile that she went 100 days without talking to a single reporter, refusing to come out to answer questions about her policy progress to bolster Peruvian prosperity. Instead, she has dedicated her efforts towards her own prosperity, economically and physically.
Perhaps the most notable of her scandals was “Rolexgate”. In March of 2024, it was revealed that Boluarte had acquired a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch and Cartier bracelet, actively flaunting these pieces in public. Her lavish accessories were worth an estimated £400,000. That’s a problem for two reasons. First of all, around ⅓ of Peruvian citizens are living in poverty. Boluarte’s choice to wear jewelry worth more than the average yearly household income of Peru conveyed to Peruvians how out of touch she was with the general population. Second, Boluarte’s yearly salary is £40,000. Even after two years in office, her income wouldn’t be able to support the expense of jewelry she purchased. Boluarte’s ability to afford these pricey collections is fairly shocking, and indeed quite suspicious.
Even more suspicious is the fact that Boluarte failed to report her assets and reveal how she acquired her accessories. Boluarte did not list any Rolexes in an obligatory asset declaration document. Despite her willingness to work with authorities during the preliminary investigations, she failed to appear for certain questioning and didn’t display her watches to officials on the scheduled date. Now, prosecutors have opened an inquiry into her for “illicit enrichment” – the act of having wealth that cannot be justified by income. The Rolexgate probe reveals Boluarte’s corrupt intentions and highlights her misplaced morals. For a president who vowed to fight corruption, she’s done a flawless job of the exact opposite.
Even beyond wasting money on futile items like watches and bracelets, Dina Boluarte does not seem to take her position as President seriously. A news outlet revealed that ‘President’ Boluarte was absent from governmental headquarters for 2 weeks between June and July 2023, failing to attend any official activity during this time. She avoided informing Congress of her departure and even neglected to delegate governmental tasks while she was away–essentially, leaving Peru without a presidency for 14 days. Her reason? A nose job. Indeed, Boluarte missed her role as a leader to undergo rhinoplasty among other surgical interventions to rejuvenate her looks. Boluarte blamed her appearance and her photographers for a terrible public image instead of recognizing her failures as the reason for that image.
Her failures aren’t just a matter of international shame; they’re a threat to human lives. Boluarte’s failure to leverage peaceful means to handle protestors has led to a massive human rights crisis for Peru, with 1,400 protestors injured in the first 4 months of her term. Boluarte met with armed force members and police officers, providing her with a forum to push for the nonviolent handling of Peruvian protestors. Instead, she leveraged these meetings to praise security forces for their harsh approach to protestors even though this approach has proved unjust and fatal.
Peruvian authorities regularly resort to using teargas and lead pellets in response to protests, aiming to silence demonstrators. Authorities have specifically cracked down on protests from farmers and Indigenous communities, perpetuating extreme racism present within Peruvian society. Between December 2022 and February 2023, 49 people were killed and hundreds seriously injured by police and military personnel during Peru’s protest and 2 years later, victims and their families are still waiting for justice. Currently, no public officials have been arrested for the human rights violations committed. It’s unclear what Boluarte’s motivations are for delaying the prosecution of these individuals. What is clear is that Boluarte has no political regard for preserving Peru’s peace.
Because of this violence, many Peruvians want to leave their country. According to a poll by the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, a well-known think tank in Lima, 60% of 18-24-year-olds in Peru have plans to leave the country in the next three years. In just the first half of 2023, 400,000 individuals emigrated from Peru. The insecurity and instability of Boluarte’s regime is creating conditions that are forcing Peruvians to flee in search of opportunity elsewhere; they know they won’t be able to find prosperity at home. Boluarte has stated publicly that she plans to stay in office until 2026, claiming that she will not resign amidst the chaos of her term. Peru’s Congress has failed to recognize early elections as well, suppressing Peruvians of their ability to vote for a new leader.
It’s unfortunate that Peru has to endure more of Boluarte’s disorganized reign. Peruvians bear the burden of a leader who has consistently prioritized personal gain over national progress. Her tenure is a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy and the urgent need for leaders who champion justice instead of suffocating it. For the nation, the question remains: how long can Peru endure such leadership before the echoes of democratic backsliding become irreversible?