Peru’s political turbulence has deepened after Congress voted to remove the country’s interim president, José Jerí, marking the eighth leadership change in less than ten years.
Lawmakers approved a motion of censure against Jerí by 75 votes to 24, just four months after he assumed office and only two months before a scheduled general election.
The decision came amid a growing scandal over his alleged undisclosed meetings with Chinese business figures.
The controversy, popularly dubbed “Chifa-gate”, a reference to the Peruvian term for Chinese-influenced cuisine, prompted the Attorney General’s Office to open an investigation into the 39-year-old leader.
“The presiding officers declare the office of President of the Congress of the Republic vacant, and consequently, the office of President of the Republic is vacant,” said Fernando Rospigliosi, acting head of Congress.
Political factions in the legislature are now expected to negotiate a shortlist of candidates for the presidency of Congress, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday to determine the next interim president.
Jerí had assumed the country’s top job in October after becoming Speaker of Congress, following the impeachment of President Dina Boluarte.
Boluarte herself had taken over the presidency in 2022 after the removal and arrest of Pedro Castillo.
The “Chifa-gate” controversy
The crisis surrounding Jerí centers on allegations that he held private, unrecorded meetings with Zhihua Yang, a Chinese businessman whose company holds a state concession.
Jerí has denied any misconduct, describing the encounters as “circumstantial,” and insisted the businessman did not request any favours.
The first meeting took place at a Chinese restaurant in Lima on December 26 and drew attention after images surfaced showing the president entering the venue wearing a hood.
A second meeting was reportedly held on January 6 at a Chinese goods store, where he arrived wearing sunglasses. Neither meeting appeared in official presidential logs.
Last month, Jerí acknowledged the encounters and issued a public apology.
“I admit my mistake and publicly apologize for entering the way I did, hooded, and for how this has given rise to suspicions and doubts about my behavior and generated the creation of all kinds of unreal stories, which have no basis whatsoever,” he said.
The scandal has also reignited debate over Peru’s foreign relations, particularly the balance between China, one of its largest trading partners and the United States, which has expressed concern about Beijing’s growing influence.
Last week, the United States Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs warned that Peru could lose oversight of key infrastructure, including the Chancay port, which it described as being run by “predatory” Chinese owners.
“We support Peru’s sovereign right to oversee critical infrastructure in its own territory. Let this be a cautionary tale for the region and the world: cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty,” the bureau said.
A presidency dogged by scandal
Jerí’s removal adds to a long list of Peruvian leaders caught up in legal or political controversies, prompting some analysts to describe the office as “cursed.”
Since 2000, at least seven presidents have faced trials or legal proceedings over corruption or human rights allegations. An eighth died by suicide as police moved in to arrest him.
Many trace the country’s instability to the fall of Alberto Fujimori, who was ousted in 2000 after a major corruption scandal and later convicted on charges including embezzlement and human rights violations.
His successors also encountered legal trouble. Alejandro Toledo was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for taking millions in bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Alan Garcia died in 2019 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police prepared to arrest him in a related probe.
Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski were also implicated in the Odebrecht scandal, while Martin Vizcarra was removed from office for “moral incapacity” over alleged bribe-taking during his tenure as governor.
Pedro Castillo was arrested for alleged rebellion after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by emergency decree, and Dina Boluarte was later impeached over a series of scandals.
All the leaders involved have denied or rejected the accusations against them.
Peruvians are scheduled to vote in a general election on April 12.
