News|GovernmentPeru appoints Jose Maria Balcazar as president, ninth leader in a decadeThe new president will serve on an interim basis until a new executive is sworn in after April’s general election.
Peru's Congress has appointed former judge and left-wing lawmaker Jose Maria Balcazar as interim president, succeeding the right-wing leader Jose Jeri following his removal. This marks Peru's ninth presidency in a decade, with Balcazar's term set to be…
Peru's Congress has appointed former judge and left-wing lawmaker Jose Maria Balcazar as interim president, succeeding the right-wing leader Jose Jeri following his removal. This marks Peru's ninth presidency in a decade, with Balcazar's term set to be brief.
In 53 days, on Wed, Apr 12, 2026, Peru will conduct a presidential election. If no candidate secures over 50% of the vote, a run-off election will occur in June. The newly elected president is traditionally inaugurated on Peru's Independence Day in late July, which will conclude Balcazar's tenure.
Balcazar's appointment continues the trend of instability within the Peruvian government. Among the last eight presidents, four have been impeached, and two have resigned prematurely. The last president to complete a term was Ollanta Humala, who left office in Jul 2016.
Balcazar's rise to the presidency was not without challenges. In the initial voting round, centre-right lawyer Maria del Carmen Alva and Balcazar emerged with 43 and 46 votes, respectively, both falling short of the required 59 votes. The left-wing party Together for Peru boycotted the subsequent voting round, leading to Balcazar's victory with 60 out of 113 congressional votes cast.
This marks Peru's ninth presidency in a decade, with Balcazar's term set to be brief.
Balcazar, affiliated with the left-wing Peru Libre party, has a background in law as a professor and judge. However, his judicial career faced controversy when in 2004 he attempted to overturn a final judgment, leading to disciplinary hearings and non-renewal by Peru's National Board of Justice.
Since 2021, Balcazar has served in Congress, briefly joining the Peru Bicentenario party. His career has been marred by controversies, including investigations into misappropriation of funds and involvement in a bribery scandal. Despite these issues, his candidacy managed to garner sufficient support from lawmakers.
Jose Jeri, 39, was one of Peru's youngest presidents but was impeached, following a pattern of three consecutive impeachments. His predecessor, Dina Boluarte, was impeached for "moral incapacity," and Pedro Castillo was impeached after attempting a self-coup, later receiving a prison sentence.
Jeri, previously head of Congress, faced multiple scandals, including accusations of sexual misconduct and questions about government contracts linked to late-night meetings. Notably, unrecorded meetings with Chinese businessmen, termed "Chifagate," became a significant scandal. Footage emerged of Jeri meeting with Zhihua Yang, a Chinese businessman awarded a government concession, and Xiaodong Jiwu, who is under house arrest.
Jeri denied any wrongdoing, asserting meetings with Yang were for cultural events, while prosecutors investigate potential influence-peddling under his administration. The situation unfolds amid US pressure for Peru to limit relations with China, highlighting concerns over a Chinese investment in the port of Chancay.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.