Dr. Zhou Qing, Ph.D. candidate at Shanghai University and visiting scholar at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, analyzes the deep-seated roots of Peru’s recurring political turmoil, arguing that beneath the constant crises lies a paradoxical social resilience that keeps the state functioning amid chaos.
In October 2025, Peru’s Congress voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Dina Boluarte, marking yet another episode in the country’s long record of political volatility. Since 2020, Peru has seen multiple presidents rise and fall within short spans, earning it the reputation of being one of Latin America’s most politically unstable democracies. The question, Dr. Zhou notes, is not merely why instability persists, but why Peru continues to endure despite it.
Through field observations in Lima during mass demonstrations, Dr. Zhou witnessed how protests—though highly expressive—unfold amid an almost ordinary urban rhythm. Shops remained open, vendors continued their work, and life went on as if turmoil had become a part of daily existence. “Everything continues,” one local remarked, revealing a national temperament shaped by resignation and adaptability.
According to Dr. Zhou’s analysis and local perspectives, three interlocking factors underpin Peru’s chronic instability.
First, persistent confrontation between the presidency and Congress has eroded effective governance. Since the 1990s, institutional rivalry has turned the Peruvian political system into a cycle of crisis and compromise, where temporary coexistence often serves political interests rather than national stability.
Second, the fragmentation and weakness of political parties make coherent policymaking nearly impossible. Without stable party identities or enduring platforms, leadership turns transient, and populist figures fill the vacuum.
Third, a profound erosion of social trust—fueled by corruption, organized crime, and illicit economies—has alienated citizens from formal institutions. Many Peruvians view state power as corrupt or irrelevant, reinforcing the cycle of disillusionment and volatility.
Yet, Dr. Zhou emphasizes that Peru’s story is not solely one of dysfunction. Beneath the political turbulence lies a remarkable resilience. Despite widespread distrust in leaders, Peruvians continue to respect procedures and institutions themselves. Governments still form cabinets, laws are debated, and local governance—however imperfect—persists. In daily life, citizens uphold an informal order that allows society to function when politics falters. “This,” Dr. Zhou writes, “is the order within disorder—the hidden structure that keeps Peru from collapse.”
Dr. Zhou concludes that Peru’s path forward depends on two interwoven strengths: institutional capacity to constrain illegality and societal resilience to sustain continuity. Stability, she argues, will come not from a single strong leader, but from the gradual reinforcement of trust—between citizens and the system, between law and everyday life. In this balance between chaos and persistence, Peru continues to move forward, finding its own rhythm of survival amid uncertainty.
Full article is available at: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/LrZXzVcmyXgQTMzqLM9Eww
This article has been first published by the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding (iGCU) with the author's authorization. Please indicate the source when re-posting.
Compiled by Zhang Xintao
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding, Peking University.
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