With a transitional government and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peru held general elections in 2021. Although the acceleration of vaccination made it possible to attain more social and economic stability, the trend towards instability that began in the past five years continued during the first months of Castillo’s administration. An outsider without a party and without political support faces a radicalized but unpopular opposition, which has normalized the threat of presidential vacancia. Democracy persists as a consequence of a tie between these weak actors: a democracy by default.