The national poll by the Ipsos polling firm found that 83 percent believe the incumbent should resign and only 10 percent believe he should remain in office. Furthermore, 95 percent say that security during his administration has worsened (60 percent) or is as critical as before (35 percent), and only 3 percent say it has improved.

Santiváñez is the subject of investigations by the Attorney General’s Office, one of them stemming from a protected witness’s testimony that, before becoming minister and while a lawyer, he brokered bribes from defendants to judges, paid to obtain acquittals. “Citizen insecurity has escalated during his months in office, but Juan José Santiváñez prefers to blame previous administrations and insists, with arrogance, that there has been significant progress,” the newspaper Perú21 stated in commenting on the survey.

It adds that the incumbent’s main struggle “seems to be saving his reputation and credibility” in the face of accusations against him, to which other sources add his determination to fight politically in defense of President Dina Boluarte.

The president has reaffirmed his support despite his unpopularity and problems, and after his home was raided, she received him at the Government Palace with a warm hug and delivered a message in which she reaffirmed his position and maintained that he is the victim of a concerted action by prosecutors and the media.

Santiváñez was due to attend the court hearing yesterday regarding a request by the Prosecutor’s Office that the Judiciary prohibit him from leaving the country, in order to ensure his presence during the investigations into the bribery case. The Interior Minister has asked Parliament to disqualify the Attorney General, Delia Espinoza, and the National Justice Board (JNJ) to remove her from office for allegedly illegal decisions.

Meanwhile, from Parliament, whose majority refuses to grant a vote of no confidence against Santiváñez, far-right legislators have made similar accusations against Espinoza.

The Attorney General is also investigating President Boluarte for several cases, including the deaths of protesters against her appointment to office and possible bribery, among other charges.

The newspaper La República states that the government and Congress are “playing a wall” (in a coordinated manner) against the Attorney General.

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