“Out of my deep love for our country, I resigned from a political project that led to unhealthy polarization.”
EFE/14ymedio. Lima, 28 July 2025 — Peruvian President Dina Boluarte asserted this Monday, during her final address to the nation, that upon coming to power from the vice presidency after the impeachment of former President Pedro Castillo, she prevented Peru from becoming “a failed country like Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia” by renouncing “a political project that was leading to destruction.”
In her speech before the full Congress, interrupted several times by cries of “murderer, murderer” and banners from leftist groups demanding Castillo’s freedom, Boluarte asserted that “it was not this president who sought to disrupt the constitutional order to place Peru on the path of destruction and failure.”
The head of state was referring to Castillo’s failed coup attempt on December 7, 2022, which led to his removal from office and imprisonment. Boluarte, who was his vice president, took office amid a wave of protests whose repression left more than 50 dead.
“”What would have happened if I hadn’t taken office and acted with full respect for democratic order and institutions?”
Boluarte, who was elected in 2021 as Castillo’s vice president for the Marxist Peru Libre party, decided to remain in office with the support of a group of conservative forces, mostly right-wing, that control Congress.
“Out of my deep love for our country, I resigned from continuing a political project that led to unhealthy polarization, fratricidal confrontation, and the destruction of Peru,” the president said.
“Many criticize me for having preferred the constitutional duty to preserve democracy, freedom, property, respect for human rights, and democratic institutions,” Boluarte stated, amid frequent interruptions from leftist parliamentarians who shouted “murderer, murderer” at her while demanding Castillo’s release.
“What would have happened if I hadn’t taken office and acted with full respect for the democratic order and institutions? The country would be mired in a power vacuum, with serious consequences, elections held amid violence and an authoritarian and improvised government to draft a new Constitution, a pretext for those who are traitors to the country,” she added.
The leader considered that during her term she has been “the target of constant criticism and motions for impeachment not motivated by objective facts.”]]
The president insisted that those instigating the protests against her “wanted to turn Peru into a failed country, that is, into an international pariah.”
“However, between preferring the incomprehension of some and my mandate to the country, I chose to fulfill my duty to recover the country,” she reiterated. Boluarte added that “in Peru, there will never be ration cards with which the State tells citizens what and how much they should eat.” “We achieved this by staying united,” she added.
The leader considered that during her term she has been “the target of constant criticism and motions for impeachment motivated not by objective facts, but by other types of interests.”
“The narrative that has been constructed has sought to turn the president into a scapegoat. (…) History will judge these unhealthy intentions that do not weaken us in our quest to save the country. We will remain steadfast,” she commented.
She noted that her decision to remain in power in the face of criticism meant facing “the powers that be and countless investigations and prosecutions.”
“They thought that by extending this harassment of officials in my government and members of my family, they would weaken my commitment to all Peruvians, but I am a president firm in the face of adversity and I remain standing in service to the Peruvian people, with my unwavering commitment,” she concluded.
The president enters her final year in office as the most unpopular president in Latin America, with an approval rating that, according to polls, hovers between 2% and 3%.
Boluarte faces several open investigations by the Attorney General’s Office for deaths during protests, for receiving luxury gifts such as Rolex watches, for undergoing a series of surgeries without publicly announcing that she would be temporarily incapacitated, for alleged prohibited financing of political organizations, and for allegedly covering up for fugitive Vladimir Cerrón, leader of Perú Libre.
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