<p><em>By Marcelo Rochabrun</em></p><p>Peruvian authorities are investigating whether unpopular President Dina Boluarte temporarily abandoned her role as head of state to have secret nose surgery.</p><p>Boluarte, one of the most unpopular presidents in the world, had been rumored for months to have had plastic surgeries on the job, which would have required secret medical rest.</p><p>While the government had fervently denied the procedures, former Prime Minister Alberto Otarola acknowledged that Boluarte had undergone a “rhinoplasty” for “respiratory issues” in testimony to lawmakers this week.</p><p>The confirmation has prompted lawmakers and now prosecutors to ask if Boluarte illegally abandoned her duties in order to undergo the medical treatments. Boluarte’s administration says she has never taken time off.</p><p>The criminal investigation is just the latest setback for Boluarte, whose approval rating ranges between 3 per cent and 5 per cent in polls. She’s already facing criminal investigations over alleged illegal enrichment for her use of Rolex watches she was unlikely to be able to afford.</p>.<p><strong>Probes, Response</strong></p><p>She’s also facing a separate criminal investigation for her role overseeing police and the military in the killing of 50 Peruvians in protests against her administration.</p><p>Boluarte’s lawyer Juan Carlos Portugal told local station <em>Canal N</em> on Friday that there had never been a power vacuum and that the president had signed 91 legal dispositions during the time her critics say she was on secret medical rest.</p><p>Boluarte said at a public event that a potential impeachment against her would only hurt the country by forcing a presidential transition.</p><p>Peru is notorious for incarcerating former presidents and has built a jail specifically to house disgraced former leaders. The facility is currently home to Boluarte’s predecessor, Pedro Castillo, who tried to illegally shut down Congress in 2022 and former President Alejandro Toledo who has recently sentenced for taking millions in bribes.</p><p>Boluarte’s presidency ends in July 2026. </p>
<p><em>By Marcelo Rochabrun</em></p><p>Peruvian authorities are investigating whether unpopular President Dina Boluarte temporarily abandoned her role as head of state to have secret nose surgery.</p><p>Boluarte, one of the most unpopular presidents in the world, had been rumored for months to have had plastic surgeries on the job, which would have required secret medical rest.</p><p>While the government had fervently denied the procedures, former Prime Minister Alberto Otarola acknowledged that Boluarte had undergone a “rhinoplasty” for “respiratory issues” in testimony to lawmakers this week.</p><p>The confirmation has prompted lawmakers and now prosecutors to ask if Boluarte illegally abandoned her duties in order to undergo the medical treatments. Boluarte’s administration says she has never taken time off.</p><p>The criminal investigation is just the latest setback for Boluarte, whose approval rating ranges between 3 per cent and 5 per cent in polls. She’s already facing criminal investigations over alleged illegal enrichment for her use of Rolex watches she was unlikely to be able to afford.</p>.<p><strong>Probes, Response</strong></p><p>She’s also facing a separate criminal investigation for her role overseeing police and the military in the killing of 50 Peruvians in protests against her administration.</p><p>Boluarte’s lawyer Juan Carlos Portugal told local station <em>Canal N</em> on Friday that there had never been a power vacuum and that the president had signed 91 legal dispositions during the time her critics say she was on secret medical rest.</p><p>Boluarte said at a public event that a potential impeachment against her would only hurt the country by forcing a presidential transition.</p><p>Peru is notorious for incarcerating former presidents and has built a jail specifically to house disgraced former leaders. The facility is currently home to Boluarte’s predecessor, Pedro Castillo, who tried to illegally shut down Congress in 2022 and former President Alejandro Toledo who has recently sentenced for taking millions in bribes.</p><p>Boluarte’s presidency ends in July 2026. </p>