New Peru president vows to finish term, others want election

Peru’s first female president is pushing to cement her hold on power, saying she expects to complete the term of her ousted predecessor and buck the trend of presidential failures blighting the Andean nation.
Yet, even as Dina Doluarte made the call Thursday, some politicians already were calling for early elections in an indication of continued political rancor. Boluarte, who was elevated from vice president to replace leftist Pedro Castillo as the country’s leader Wednesday after he angered many by trying to dissolve the legislature before an impeachment vote, said she should be allowed to hold the office for the remaining 3 1/2 years of his term.
“The constitution is the magna carta that all Peruvians must obey,” and it calls for the presidential term to run until July 28, 2026, she said at her first news conference, held a day after Castillo was voted out of office and arrested on charges of rebellion just 17 months into his term.
After being sworn in as president Wednesday, Boluarte called for a truce with legislators who dismissed Castillo for “permanent moral incapacity,” a clause of the constitution that experts say is so vague it allows the removal of a president for almost any reason. It was also used to oust President Martin Vizcarra, who governed in 2018-2020.