Political Crisis in Peru: Parliament Removes President José Jerí After Four Months

On Tuesday, Peru's Congress decided to remove interim President José Jerí from office. The motion for impeachment was supported by 75 deputies, with 24 votes against and 3 abstentions. The 39-year-old Jerí, a lawyer and former parliamentary speaker, served as head of state for just 108 days. The opposition accused him of involvement in a scandal concerning illegal hirings and influence peddling, with the direct cause for his dismissal being the concealment of meetings with Chinese businessmen who were under state surveillance. The fall of Jerí's government is another stage in the institutional crisis that has been ongoing in Peru since 2016. The country is grappling with a record turnover of leaders – in the last ten years, the nation has had as many as eight presidents. Jerí took power in October, replacing Dina Boluarte, who was also removed from office amid scandal. Although his appointment was initially meant to bring stability ahead of the general elections scheduled for April, new corruption accusations quickly paralyzed his administration. The situation in Peru is unique in the region due to a specific constitutional provision that allows parliament to remove a president for "permanent moral incapacity." This imprecise clause has been repeatedly used in recent years for political infighting, leading to an almost complete erosion of citizens' trust in state institutions. Parliament has now declared the presidency vacant. The country faces the specter of another abrupt succession less than two months before the nationwide vote. Observers point out that such deep polarization and frequent changes at the highest levels of power negatively impact Peru's economy and international relations, particularly concerning foreign investment in the extractive sector. Vote on the President: For: 75, Against: 24, Abstained: 3 8 — presidents have held power in Peru in less than a decade „My presence in the government was meant to be a bridge to democracy, not a source of further divisions in the nation.” — José Jerí [{"dataISO": "2025-10-01", "data": "October 2025", "tytul": "Inauguration", "opis": "José Jerí assumes office following the resignation of Dina Boluarte."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-16", "data": "February 16, 2026", "tytul": "Censure Motion", "opis": "The opposition submits seven motions for parliamentary censure."}, {"dataISO": "2026-02-17", "data": "February 17, 2026", "tytul": "Removal", "opis": "Congress votes 75 to 24 to remove the president from office."}]