The presidential sash is usually a symbol of power that does not let those who wear it escape. On December 12, 2022, five days after taking office as President of Peru, Dina Boluarte affirmed that “having interpreted the will of the citizens as broadly as possible” and that for this reason she had decided “to reach an agreement with Congress to move forward”. the general elections on April 2024″. This Thursday he clarified that he will remain in power until July 2026, that is, until the end of the period started in 2021 by Pedro Castillo, who is now in prison for a failed attempted coup.
In late January, with dozens of protesters killed in the protests and her ability to govern already severely in question, Castillo’s successor called on the legislature to reconsider snap elections and indicated that the executive branch would do so if they did this would not do an invoice. “Congressmen, you must understand your historic responsibility […]. Let’s say to all of Peru with the utmost responsibility: “We’re all going,” he urged them energetically. He even set a tentative date for the election process. “The first round should take place on the second Sunday in October and the second round in December,” he added.
The same leader ate her words this afternoon after meeting her Council of Ministers outside the Palace. “The press generally knows that the issue of snap elections is closed. “We will continue to work responsibly and with respect for the rule of law, democracy and the constitution until July 2026,” said the President calmly. Although Boluarte told a local media outlet last month that he intends to “govern in accordance with the constitution,” this is the first time he has unhesitatingly expressed his plan to remain in power for the next three years.
Boluarte came to power after the sacking of Castillo, who attempted to stage a self-coup. The former president ended up in prison and his vice president, Boluarte, became the first female president in Peru’s history. Violent protests broke out on the streets of Boluarte, which were suppressed by the police. There have been dozens of deaths, which institutions like the UN attribute to the police’s disproportionate use of force. Despite being heavily questioned both nationally and internationally, the President has remained in office and, based on her recent statements, has no plans to step down from the presidency any time soon.
On the same Wednesday, Boluarte made some controversial statements when some journalists questioned her after her meeting with Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso for the purpose of civil society to mobilize again to resume the protests. “From December to February we were like firefighters and held almost 500 violent demonstrations. Right now I’m calling these people who are announcing once again the third acquisition of Lima: how many more deaths would you like? For the love of God!” said the President, which many interpreted as a threat to those who choose to take to the streets.
Last March, the Congressional Constitutional Commission failed to secure the votes needed to approve the Executive Branch’s proposal to bring general elections forward to December 2023. It was the second failed attempt. Implementation in April 2024 had previously been proposed. However, neither of the two scenarios will occur. They had already been removed from the discussion in the plenum and in the media in the past few months. If there is no twist in the script, neither Congress nor Dina Boluarte will fulfill their promise. For the time being, El nomos vamos todos remains as a slogan for one day.
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