Peru’s Congress on Tuesday voted to remove President José Jerí from office, just four months after he assumed power, deepening the country’s prolonged political instability.
Jerí was ousted over a scandal involving undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman. Lawmakers voted 75 in favor of his removal, 24 against, with three abstentions.
Congress will now elect a new head of the legislature, who will automatically assume the presidency — making the individual Peru’s eighth president in eight years. Jerí becomes the third consecutive Peruvian leader to be removed from office.
The controversy, dubbed “Chifagate” — referencing a local term for Chinese restaurants — erupted after Jerí was filmed arriving late at night, wearing a hood, to meet Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang, who owns retail stores and holds a concession for an energy project. The meeting was not publicly disclosed.
Jerí had taken office in October after Congress unanimously removed his predecessor, Dina Boluarte, amid corruption allegations and rising public anger over crime. With no vice president in place, Jerí, then head of Congress, was next in line to assume the presidency.
Unlike impeachment proceedings, which require a supermajority of 87 votes in the 130-member legislature, Congress removed Jerí through a censure vote — a process that requires only a simple majority and strips him of his position as head of Congress, effectively ending his presidency.
Jerí said he would respect the outcome of the vote.
Although current head of Congress Fernando Rospigliosi is next in the constitutional line of succession, he has declined to take on the presidency. Lawmakers are expected to elect a new congressional leader on Wednesday.
The situation mirrors the 2020 political crisis that saw Francisco Sagasti assume the presidency after being chosen by Congress following the brief, five-day administration of Manuel Merino.
With general elections scheduled for April 12, analysts warn that the continued leadership shake-ups could further erode public trust. Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, said many lawmakers likely calculated that supporting Jerí could harm their electoral prospects.
Despite the political turbulence, Peru’s mining-driven economy has remained relatively stable, recording 3.4% growth in 2025 and inflation at 1.7%, suggesting economic resilience amid governance uncertainty.
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