Dina Boluarte
Quick facts for kids
Dina Boluarte
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![]() Boluarte in 2024
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64th President of Peru | |
In office 7 December 2022 – 10 October 2025 |
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Prime Minister | Pedro Angulo Arana Alberto Otárola Gustavo Adrianzén Eduardo Arana Ysa |
Vice President | First Vice President Vacant Second Vice President Vacant |
Preceded by | Pedro Castillo |
Succeeded by | José Jerí |
First Vice President of Peru | |
In office 28 July 2021 – 7 December 2022 |
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President | Pedro Castillo |
Preceded by | Martín Vizcarra (2018) |
Succeeded by | Vacant |
Minister of Development and Social Inclusion | |
In office 29 July 2021 – 26 November 2022 |
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President | Pedro Castillo |
Preceded by | Silvana Vargas |
Succeeded by | Cinthya Lindo Espinoza |
Personal details | |
Born |
Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra
31 May 1962 Chalhuanca, Peru |
Political party |
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Spouse |
David Gómez Villasante
(m. 1992) |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of San Martín de Porres (LLB) |
Signature | ![]() |
Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra (born May 31, 1962) is a Peruvian politician and lawyer who was the 64th president of Peru. She was the first woman to become president of Peru. She served from December 7, 2022, until she was removed from office on October 10, 2025.
Before becoming president, she was the first vice president under President Pedro Castillo. She also worked as a minister in the government.
Boluarte became president after Castillo was removed from office for trying to shut down the Peruvian Congress. Her presidency was marked by large protests across the country. The way her government handled these protests was very controversial. She also faced a major scandal known as "Rolexgate" over her ownership of expensive watches.
Her time as president was difficult, and she became very unpopular. The Congress of Peru voted to remove her from office in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dina Boluarte was born in the small town of Chalhuanca, Peru, on May 31, 1962. Her family spoke the native language Quechua. She later moved to the city to study and became a lawyer after graduating from the University of San Martín de Porres.
In 2004, she helped write a book about human rights. Later, the book was investigated because it was found that over half of its text was copied from another source without giving credit.
Early Career
Boluarte worked as a lawyer for the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), a government agency, starting in 2007.
She first tried to enter politics in 2018 by running for mayor of a district in Lima, but she was not successful. In 2020, she ran for a seat in Peru's Congress but did not win.
Becoming Vice President
In the 2021 presidential election, Dina Boluarte was the vice presidential candidate on the ticket with Pedro Castillo. They won the election, and she became the First Vice President of Peru on July 28, 2021. She was also appointed as the Minister of Development and Social Inclusion.
Over time, she had disagreements with her political party, Free Peru. In early 2022, she said she did not agree with the party's ideas. The party leader, Vladimir Cerrón, then expelled her from the party.
Presidency (2022–2025)
Taking Office
On December 7, 2022, President Pedro Castillo tried to dissolve the Congress to avoid being removed from office. This move was seen as against the constitution. Congress then voted to remove Castillo, and he was arrested.
As the first vice president, Dina Boluarte was next in line. She was sworn in as president that same day, becoming the first woman to lead Peru. In her first speech, she promised to create a government that would bring the country together.
Protests and Controversy
Soon after Boluarte took office, large protests started across Peru. Many protesters were supporters of the former president, Pedro Castillo, and were angry that he had been removed. They demanded that Boluarte resign and that new elections be held.
The government responded by sending the police and military to control the protests. This led to serious clashes where many people were hurt or killed. Human rights groups and other countries criticized Boluarte's government for using too much force against the protesters. Boluarte, however, defended the actions of the police and military.
Because of the government's actions, Peru's Attorney General opened investigations into Boluarte and some of her ministers.
The "Rolexgate" Scandal
In March 2024, a major scandal known as "Rolexgate" began. A news website reported that Boluarte had been seen wearing several expensive Rolex watches at public events. The watches were worth much more than her government salary.
This raised questions about how she could afford them. Boluarte said the watches were the result of her hard work. The controversy grew when it was discovered she also owned other expensive jewelry, like a Cartier bracelet worth over $50,000.
In late March 2024, police and government officials raided her home and the Government Palace as part of the investigation. This event was broadcast on television and caused a major political stir, leading several of her ministers to resign.
Removal from Office
The protests and the Rolexgate scandal made Boluarte extremely unpopular. Members of Congress made several attempts to remove her from office.
On October 10, 2025, the Congress of Peru held a final vote to impeach her. They voted 118 to 0 to remove her from the presidency, saying she was morally unfit to lead the country. After the vote, the President of Congress, José Jerí, was sworn in as the new President of Peru.
Political Views
When Dina Boluarte entered politics, she was a member of Free Peru, a left-leaning political party. However, after she became president, she began to work more closely with conservative, right-wing parties in Congress.
Some experts said she changed her political position to gain support and stay in power. They described her as an opportunist. Her government was also called authoritarian by critics, who said she used her power strongly and did not listen to the people who had elected her.
Personal Life
Boluarte speaks both Spanish and Quechua. She was married to David Gómez Villasante, and they have two sons. Her brother, Nicanor Boluarte, was also involved in politics and was arrested in 2024 on suspicion of using his influence improperly.
Honours
Electoral history
Year | Office | Type | Party | Main opponent | Party | Votes for Boluarte | Result | Swing | ||||||
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Total | % | P. | ±% | |||||||||||
2018 | Mayor of Surquillo | Municipal | Libertarian Peru | Giancarlo Casassa | Christian People's Party | 2,014 | 2.80% | 9th | N/A | Lost | N/A | |||
2020 | Congresswoman from Lima | Parliamentary Snap | Free Peru | N/A | N/A | 4,827 | 2.06% | 16th | N/A | Lost | N/A | |||
2021 | First Vice President of Peru | General | Luis Galarreta | Popular Force | 2,724,752 | 18.92% | 1st | N/A | Advanced into runoff | N/A | ||||
8,836,380 | 50.13% | 1st | N/A | Won | Gain |
Images for kids
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Boluarte with Castillo at the Government Palace in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Dina Boluarte para niños