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Peru Ousts Interim President in "Chifa-Gate" Scandal Ahead of Elections

Peru's Congress has voted to remove Interim President Jose Jeri over allegations he held unofficial meetings with Chinese businesspeople, a scandal dubbed "Chifa-Gate." Jeri, who apologized for entering a meeting "hooded," denied wrongdoing but was ousted just months before scheduled general elections. This continues a pattern of political instability in Peru, with multiple presidents impeached in recent years. Congress will now vote for a new interim president as the country grapples with ongoing leadership crises.

Key Points: Peru Congress Removes Interim President Jose Jeri

  • Jeri ousted by 75-24 vote
  • Accused of secret China meetings
  • "Chifa-Gate" scandal erupts
  • Political instability deepens
  • New interim vote Wednesday
2 min read

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

Peru's Congress impeaches Interim President Jose Jeri over secret China meetings in "Chifa-Gate," deepening political crisis before elections.

"I admit my mistake... for how this has given rise to suspicions - Jose Jeri"

Lima, February 18

Peru's Congress approved the motion to remove Interim President Jose Jeri over accusations of holding unofficial meetings with Chinese businesspeople, four months after he took office, CNN reported.

According to CNN, 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.

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.

While Peruvian President Alan Garcia died after shooting himself ahead of his arrest in a bribery case in 2019.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Meeting foreign businesspeople "hooded"? That's incredibly shady behavior for any leader, interim or not. Transparency is non-negotiable. His apology sounds more like damage control after being caught. Peru's political instability is truly concerning for its citizens.
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Priyanka N
The article mentions China's involvement. It's a reminder of how global powers are always seeking influence. India must also be vigilant in its dealings and ensure our leaders maintain the highest standards of integrity to avoid such 'gate' scandals. 🇮🇳
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Aman W
So many presidents impeached since 2000... it shows a deep-rooted systemic problem. It's not about individuals but the whole political culture. Hope they find a way to break this cycle soon. The common man just wants stability and development.
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Karthik V
While the action against Jeri seems justified, the constant removal of presidents creates huge policy uncertainty. Who will invest in a country with such political turmoil? This instability hurts the economy and job creation the most.
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Michael C
A respectful criticism of the article: it jumps from Fujimori in 2000 to Garcia's death in 2019, but what about the leaders in between? A clearer timeline of the "several presidents impeached" would help readers understand the full scale of the instability.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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