Case Explained: Peru Congress removes interim president over corruption allegations – JURIST – Legal Perspective

The Congress of Peru on Tuesday approved seven motions of censure against the President of Congress and Interim President of the Republic of Peru, José Jerí, over alleged corruption charges.

During a plenary session, 75 members of Congress voted in favor of removing José Jerí from office, with 24 opposing and three abstentions. The approved impeachment vacated both the positions of President of Parliament and President of the Republic. The Board of Directors subsequently announced that an election for these positions will take place on February 18, in accordance with the provisions of Article 12 of the Rules of Procedure of Congress.

The impeachment was prompted by a legal investigation into Jerí’s unregistered meetings with two Chinese businessmen named Zhihua Yang and Ji Wu Xiaodong, in late December 2025 and early January 2026. Both businessmen were under investigation for corruption-related offences, organized crime, and illegal economic activities at the time of the meetings. Although Jerí provided explanations to the media regarding the purpose of these encounters, Congress found his statements to be inconsistent and subjected him to further scrutiny.

Congressmen who supported Jerí’s impeachment criticized him for not taking actions to restore security and reduce the crime rate in the country.

José Jerí became president in October 2025, following the removal of Dina Boluarte for “moral incapacity” under Article 113 of the constitution. Boluarte replaced former president Pedro Castillo, who was also impeached in December 2022 for his widely condemned attempt to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government in a “self-coup.” Peru has struggled with political turmoil for the past ten years, including a series of impeachments and resignations, corruption of government officials, and popular demonstrations, amid a broader increase in violence and criminal activity across the country. Jerí’s impeachment comes a few months before the presidential election scheduled for April 12, viewed as an opportunity to restore political stability in the country.