Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, was removed from office on Tuesday due to allegations of corruption. This has added more uncertainty to the nation as it gears up for presidential and congressional elections set for April.
Jerí’s ousting follows a scandal known as “Chifagate,” where he was reportedly seen in a meeting with a Chinese businessman involved in an energy project, according to reports from the Associated Press. Additionally, Jerí met with another businessman linked to illicit logging activities.
The Congress voted to censure Jerí, which required a simple majority and led to his automatic removal from the presidency. Jerí has stated that he will respect the vote, denied any wrongdoing, and plans to return to his role as a legislator.
This marks another chapter in a long-standing political crisis in Peru, as the country has seen seven different presidents since 2016. Jerí took office on October 10, 2025, after the dismissal of his predecessor, Dina Boluarte. Support for Boluarte faded due to further corruption scandals, and without a vice president, Jerí, then the head of Congress, stepped in as her replacement.
Lawmakers will now need to elect a new head of Congress, who will temporarily take over the presidency until the winner of the upcoming election is inaugurated on July 28, 2026.
As the elections approach, a range of candidates is emerging. Conservative businessman Rafael López Aliaga currently leads in polls, while Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, follows closely behind. Fujimori narrowly lost her last presidential election, capturing 49% of the vote in 2021. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the votes in April, the two top candidates will face off in a runoff in June.
Political parties have until 6 p.m. local time to submit their candidates, with the legislature expected to vote on a new president on February 18.
