Peru’s Congress on Tuesday impeached interim president Jose Jeri, making him the country’s seventh head of state in a decade and the latest to fall amid corruption allegations.
The 39-year-old leader was accused of irregularly hiring several women into government positions and of suspected graft linked to a Chinese businessman with commercial ties to the state.
Prosecutors last week opened a formal investigation to determine “whether the head of state exercised undue influence” in public appointments. Jeri has denied any wrongdoing.
He assumed office in October after Congress impeached his predecessor, Dina Boluarte, amid widespread protests over corruption and escalating violence associated with organised crime.
At the time, Jeri was serving as head of Peru’s unicameral Congress and was appointed to complete Boluarte’s term, which runs until July. General elections are scheduled for April 12, and Jeri is constitutionally barred from running.
The impeachment followed allegations, first reported by investigative television programme Cuarto Poder, that at least five women were improperly granted positions in the presidential office and the environment ministry after meeting with Jeri. Prosecutors later said the number may have been as high as nine.
Separately, Jeri is under investigation for alleged “illegal sponsorship of interests” over a secret meeting with a Chinese businessman whose companies maintain contracts with the government.
Deepening institutional crisis
The move comes just weeks before national elections, in which more than 30 candidates, a record number are competing for the presidency.
Some analysts suggest political maneuvering may have played a role in Jeri’s removal. Among the most outspoken critics was Rafael Lopez Aliaga of the right-wing Popular Renewal party, who currently leads opinion polls and has repeatedly called for Jeri’s ouster.
Congress is expected to elect a new parliamentary leader on Wednesday. Under Peru’s constitution, the head of Congress will automatically assume the interim presidency until July.
“It will be difficult to find a replacement with political legitimacy in the current Congress, given evidence of mediocrity and widespread suspicion of corruption,” political analyst Augusto Alvarez told AFP ahead of the vote.
Peru has now cycled through seven presidents since 2016, several of whom have been impeached, investigated or convicted on corruption charges.
The political turmoil comes as the South American nation grapples with a surge in organised crime. Extortion cases have risen dramatically from 2,396 reported incidents to more than 25,000 in 2025 with bus drivers among the most frequent targets. Some have been shot while driving after their companies refused to pay protection money.
The impeachment further deepens Peru’s prolonged institutional crisis, raising fresh uncertainty ahead of the April elections.
