Peru Ousts President Jose Jerí in Express Impeachment Vote

Peru’s interim president Jose Jerí has been ousted in an express impeachment vote by Congress, just four months into his term. Lawmakers approved his removal by a wide margin, signaling a rapid turn in a presidency that began under intense scrutiny and political turmoil. Jerí had taken office after Dina Boluarte’s departure and was seen as a temporary figure amid a stalled political landscape, but the scandal surrounding his governance proved too much for many lawmakers to sustain.

The episode broadens Peru’s long-running crisis into a new chapter. The scandal, nicknamed “Chifagate” after security-camera footage showing Jerí in secret meetings with Chinese businessmen outside his official duties, prompted prosecutors to open a preliminary investigation into alleged influence-peddling linked to those meetings. The footage also depicts Jerí attempting to obscure his identity during one encounter with a well-connected businessman who has lived in Peru for decades. In addition, a second Chinese citizen present at the meetings is tied to an illegal timber-trafficking network. Jerí has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the appointments he made were legal and proper.

As Jerí’s administration collapsed, opposition parties that had previously backed him began distancing themselves, preparing for a political reset ahead of Peru’s presidential elections in April. The acting speaker of Congress said lawmakers would vote on a replacement shortly, a move that underscores how quickly Peru’s leadership tableau can shift in this period of upheaval. The country has experienced eight presidents since 2016, underscoring a pattern of instability that has compounded public fatigue and uncertainty about the path forward. With the new push for a replacement in the wake of the express impeachment, Peru stands at a crossroads as it heads toward a pivotal electoral moment.

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