Peru’s president doubles her salary despite record low approval rating

The president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, has issued a decree doubling her salary despite having a historically low approval rating of only 2%.

She will now be paid more than 35,500 soles ($10,000; £7,300) per month.

Peru’s economy minister said the president’s salary had been increased to match those of other heads of state in the region.

The news has been greeted with derision on social media, where many called Boluarte “tone-deaf” and her salary increase “outrageous”.

Others shared footage of the president’s recent visit to the city of Arequipa, where her car was pelted with stones and eggs, to illustrate the anger many Peruvians feel.

Boluarte was not elected as president. Instead, she came to power in December 2022, when the previous president, Pedro Castillo, was impeached and she, as the vice-president at the time, stepped in to fill the vacuum.

Her presidency has been overshadowed by several investigations, including into whether she failed to declare luxury gifts and into whether she abandoned her post when she did not appoint a caretaker president during her absence for surgery on her nose.

She has denied any wrongdoing but her already low approval ratings has fallen further as Peruvians grow increasingly impatient at what they say is her failure to tackle rising crime.

Economy Minister Raúl Pérez Reyes said that prior to the raise, Boluarte’s salary had been the second lowest of 12 countries in the region, with only Bolivia paying its president less per month.

Her new salary is almost 35 times that of the monthly minimum wages, which stands at 1,025 soles ($288; £210).