Peru's Congress voted to remove interim President José Jerí on Tuesday after a scandal dubbed 'Chifagate' — video footage showed Jerí, his face obscured by a hoodie, making undisclosed late-night visits to restaurants and businesses owned by Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang, who had received a government concession under the previous administration. A second Chinese businessman present was under house arrest. Jerí denied wrongdoing, saying visits were personal, but the undisclosed meetings violated Peruvian law requiring official meetings to be logged. Additional allegations included late-night meetings with women at the presidential palace who subsequently received government contracts.
Following Jerí's removal, Congress held an extraordinary session to elect a new congressional president, who under Peru's constitution automatically assumes the presidency on an interim basis. After no candidate secured a simple majority in the first round, Balcázar defeated center-right lawmaker María del Carmen Alva 64-46 in a second round.
Balcázar, 83, a lawyer, former regional court judge, and member of the leftist Peru Libre party, will serve as interim president until July 28. He is the ninth person to hold the presidency since 2016, reflecting a decade of profound political instability. During his tenure, he faces the task of overseeing the April 12 general election, with 36 registered presidential candidates reflecting extreme political fragmentation.
Balcázar has faced scrutiny for 2023 remarks during debate on child marriage legislation, in which he said sexual relations among students and teachers were routine and that the marriage ban should apply only to those under 14. He later said his remarks were taken out of context. He also faces an investigation for alleged influence peddling and was expelled from the Lambayeque Bar Association for alleged misappropriation of funds, accusations he denies.
