Peru’s Congress approves motion to remove Interim President Jose Jeri over Chifa-Gate allegations

LIMA: Peru’s Congress has approved a motion to remove Interim President Jose Jeri over accusations of holding unofficial meetings with Chinese businesspeople, four months after he took office, CNN reported. Jeri was ousted by 75 votes against 24 in his favour, about two months before general elections likely to take place in Peru.

Jeri had assumed the office in October 2025 after President Dina Boluarte was impeached. Boluarte served in office from 2022 to 2025 following the impeachment and arrest of Pedro Castillo. The recent trend of impeachments against presidents has led to an unstable political climate in Peru.

Acting head of Congress, Fernando Rospigliosi, as per CNN, said, “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”. Political leaders will now vote on Wednesday (local time) for the next interim president.

El Congreso de Perú tumba al presidente José Jerí apenas cuatro meses después de nombrarlo https://t.co/TLkvY7AFfq pic.twitter.com/LFDAmLtoTd

— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) February 18, 2026

As reported by CNN, Jeri’s first off-the-record meeting with the Chinese businessman took place in Lima on December 26, 2025, and sparked a row after Jeri’s pictures surfaced. He held another meeting on January 6.

While being accused in what is being called ‘Chifa-Gate,’ Jose Jeri denied the wrongdoings, calling the meetings “circumstantial.” “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. His meetings were investigated by the Attorney General’s Office.

Since President Alberto Fujimori was ousted in 2000, Peru has witnessed instability in political leadership with several presidents impeached over corruption and human rights violation allegations. Peruvian President Alan Garcia died after shooting himself ahead of his arrest in a bribery case in 2019. (ANI)