Peru’s Congress dismissed President José Jeri this Tuesday (17), after just four months in office, as a result of a scandal involving undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, continuing the turnover of leaders in the South American country.
Jeri was removed by a simple majority in a . There were 75 votes in favor, 24 against and three abstentions.
“The board of directors declares the position of president of the Congress of the Republic vacant and, as a result, the position of president of the Republic is vacant”, said Fernando Rospigliosi, head of Congress.
With the measure, Jeri’s successor will become the eighth president in eight years.
Unlike impeachment, which requires a supermajority of 87 votes in the 130-member legislature, censure requires a simple majority of 66 votes or less if there are fewer parliamentarians present.
José Jeri and his allies argued that he should face an impeachment trial and not censure, but that they would respect the result of the censure vote.
Now, spokespeople from the benches will meet to define a list of candidates for the presidency of Congress, for a legislative vote on who will save the next internal president.
Removed president took office amid crisis with former president
José Jerí, 39, took office in October 2025, when President Dina Boluarte was impeached.
Boluarte had taken over in 2022, when Pedro Castillo fell after a year and a half in office as president.
Jerí was accused of holding unofficial meetings with Chinese businesspeople, one of which triggered the opening of an investigation into influence peddling.
