Peru’s president just managed to pull off the political equivalent of a vanishing act: her public approval is now so abysmal, it makes Congress look beloved by comparison—and yet, somehow, she’s still clinging to power.
At a Glance
- President Dina Boluarte’s approval rating has crashed to a jaw-dropping 1.3%, the lowest ever recorded for a sitting world leader.
- Her presidency is drowning in corruption scandals, deadly crackdowns on protesters, and a controversial move to double her own salary.
- Despite public outrage and criminal investigations, Boluarte refuses to step down, fueling Peru’s worst political crisis in decades.
- Peru’s democracy and economy now teeter on the brink, while Boluarte’s government faces mounting pressure from all sides.
Boluarte’s Approval Plummets to Unthinkable New Low
In a feat that defies logic—and would be almost comical if it weren’t so tragic—Peruvian President Dina Boluarte’s approval rating has nosedived to an unfathomable 1.3%. This is not a typo. According to leading Peruvian polling agencies and international outlets, Boluarte’s public support has evaporated in the face of corruption scandals, a brutal crackdown on protesters, and a tone-deaf decision to double her own presidential salary while the rest of the country struggles to get by. It’s the kind of political disaster you’d expect in a banana republic, not a supposed democracy, and it speaks to just how far Peru’s leadership has fallen from any semblance of public trust.
Polls conducted by Ipsos, Datum, and IEP confirm the collapse: Boluarte’s approval has steadily declined since she took office in December 2022, bottoming out at 2% in May and a record-shattering 1.3% by July 2025. Her numbers aren’t just bad—they are historically catastrophic, surpassing even Peru’s own notorious standards for political dysfunction. Ipsos Peru president Alfredo Torres remarked, “We might be talking about a world record of sustained presidential disapproval.” The fact that she remains in office, despite this tidal wave of public rejection, is almost surreal by any rational measure.
Corruption, Scandal, and Outrage: The Anatomy of a Collapse
Dina Boluarte didn’t stumble into this crisis by accident. Her administration has become a byword for corruption and heavy-handed repression. She ascended to power in December 2022 after her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was impeached and arrested for trying to dissolve Congress—hardly an auspicious start. Peruvians saw her succession as illegitimate from the jump, especially in rural and indigenous regions, where trust in Lima’s political elite is already razor-thin.
As if that weren’t enough, Boluarte’s government met peaceful protests with violence. The infamous Ayacucho massacre and other deadly crackdowns left dozens dead and launched multiple criminal investigations into her responsibility for protester deaths. Instead of seeking unity, her administration responded with arrogance and indifference—further fueling public rage. Add to this a parade of corruption scandals, like the “Rolexgate” affair involving undeclared luxury gifts and the recent outcry over her doubling of the presidential salary. As crime surges and the economy stumbles, Boluarte’s only move has been to protect her own interests and those of Peru’s entrenched political class.
Peru’s Democracy on the Edge and the Lessons for America
Peru’s ongoing crisis isn’t just about one leader’s failings; it’s a cautionary tale for any nation that values constitutional government and the consent of the governed. With Congress and the judiciary locked in endless turf wars, and public institutions widely viewed as corrupt and ineffective, the nation now faces a deepening legitimacy crisis. Protesters fill the streets demanding her resignation, but Boluarte digs in her heels, apparently believing power is her birthright no matter what the people think. Sound familiar?
The risk now is that Peru slides further into authoritarianism or outright chaos. Investor confidence is collapsing, social cohesion is unraveling, and ordinary Peruvians—especially those in marginalized communities—are left bearing the brunt. The world is watching as Boluarte’s government clings to power through sheer force of will, not popular mandate. For Americans who cherish our Constitution and reject the arrogance of unaccountable elites, there’s a lesson here: when leaders put themselves above the law and ignore the will of the people, the very fabric of democracy comes undone. Peru’s disaster is a warning we’d do well to heed as we rebuild our own republic after years of leftist overreach and bureaucratic rot.