Peru leader José Jerí ousted in ‘Chifa-gate’ as presidential ‘curse’ returns

Lead: Peru’s interim president José Jerí was removed from office on 17 February 2026 after Congress passed a censure motion by 75 votes to 24, ending a four-month tenure ahead of the 12 April general election. The dismissal follows an Attorney General probe into off‑record meetings with a Chinese businessman—episodes that became known as “Chifa‑gate.” Lawmakers moved to declare the presidency vacant and will hold a legislative vote to select a new interim leader.

Key Takeaways

• Congress censured José Jerí on 17 February 2026 by a 75–24 margin, vacating the presidency four months after he took office.
• Jerí, 39, assumed the interim presidency in October 2025 after becoming Speaker when Dina Boluarte was impeached.
• The Attorney General opened an investigation into possible illegal sponsorship and aggravated influence peddling tied to meetings with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang.
• Two meetings under scrutiny occurred on 26 December 2025 (a Chinese restaurant) and 6 January 2026 (a Chinese goods store); neither was recorded in presidential logs.
• The episode intensified debate over Peru’s ties with China and U.S. warnings about foreign control of infrastructure such as the Chancay port.
• Peru is scheduled to hold a general election on 12 April 2026 amid sustained political volatility.

Background

Peru has experienced repeated leadership turnover since 2000, a pattern frequently traced to the fallout from Alberto Fujimori’s removal in 2000 and subsequent convictions. Successive administrations have been weakened by corruption probes, impeachment processes and deeply polarized politics, creating a low threshold for presidential instability. The impeachment of Dina Boluarte and the 2022 arrest of Pedro Castillo are recent markers in a decade-long sequence of institutional crises that set the stage for rapid changes in the executive branch.

José Jerí rose to the interim presidency after serving as Speaker of Congress; his elevation followed Boluarte’s removal. As an interim leader with a short mandate before the scheduled April election, Jerí’s tenure depended heavily on congressional confidence. Against that backdrop, allegations about private meetings with a Chinese businessman quickly acquired political significance beyond the personal conduct of one official.

Main Event

On 17 February 2026, lawmakers approved a censure motion that declared the presidency vacant. Fernando Rospigliosi, acting head of Congress, announced the decision formally, and party blocs began negotiations to nominate candidates for President of Congress; the legislature’s next internal vote will determine the person who becomes interim president. The vote came after public disclosure of two unregistered encounters between Jerí and Zhihua Yang, a Chinese businessman holding a state concession for one of his companies.

The most controversial images showed Jerí entering a Lima Chinese restaurant on 26 December 2025 wearing a hood; another meeting on 6 January 2026 saw him arrive in sunglasses at a Chinese goods store. Jerí acknowledged the meetings and apologized for how they were conducted, describing them as “circumstantial” and denying any improper favors were requested or granted. Still, prosecutors opened an inquiry into potential illegal sponsorship and aggravated influence peddling.

Congressional debate emphasized both procedure and optics: critics argued that unrecorded private meetings by a sitting head of state—however interim—undermined transparency, while supporters cautioned against assuming impropriety absent proof of illicit exchange. The censure vote reflected a majority view that the controversy had eroded the political legitimacy necessary for Jerí to continue in office so close to a national election.

Analysis & Implications

The removal of Jerí underscores persistent institutional fragility in Peru. Frequent leadership turnover complicates policy continuity, deters long-term investment, and amplifies social tensions ahead of competitive elections. With less than two months until the 12 April 2026 vote, the abrupt change in interim leadership risks undermining the electoral calendar and heightening uncertainty among voters and markets.

Internationally, Chifa‑gate revived anxieties about foreign economic influence, particularly from China, which is one of Peru’s largest trading partners. U.S. officials have publicly warned about the strategic implications of Chinese involvement in Peruvian infrastructure, most notably Chancay port—comments that feed domestic debate on how to balance foreign capital and sovereignty. The episode could push candidates to adopt clearer stances on foreign investment screening and infrastructure oversight.

Legally, the Attorney General’s investigation will determine whether meetings amounted to criminal conduct (illegal sponsorship or aggravated influence peddling). If prosecutors find evidence of illicit exchange, prosecutions could follow; if not, political consequences (loss of trust, weakened mandate) have already been realized through the censure. Either outcome will shape perceptions of accountability in Peru’s short‑term political landscape.

Comparison & Data

The table outlines recent presidents and high‑profile legal or political outcomes since 2000, illustrating a pattern of accountability crises that have repeatedly unsettled Peru’s governance. These cases are not identical in scope or legal result, but together they explain why public trust in executive office remains fragile.

Reactions & Quotes

“The office of President of the Republic is vacant,”

Fernando Rospigliosi, acting head of Congress

Rospigliosi announced the vacancy following the censure vote that removed Jerí from the presidency.

“I admit my mistake and publicly apologize…for entering the way I did, hooded,”

José Jerí (public statement)

Jerí issued a brief apology acknowledging the optics of the meetings and denying any illicit requests or promises were made.

“Cheap Chinese money costs sovereignty,”

U.S. Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (statement)

The bureau’s comment referenced concerns about foreign control of critical infrastructure, invoked by critics worried about Chinese involvement in ports like Chancay.

Unconfirmed

• There is no publicly released evidence yet that Zhihua Yang requested or received explicit governmental favors from Jerí; the Attorney General’s probe is ongoing.
• Reports that Chinese companies would control operations at Chancay to the point of precluding Peruvian oversight remain contested and under review.
• The internal congressional vote to select the next interim president and the identity of that person were unresolved at the time of reporting.

Bottom Line

José Jerí’s removal is both a proximate outcome of a narrowly focused scandal and part of a deeper pattern of instability that has defined Peruvian politics for decades. The censure demonstrates how quickly political legitimacy can evaporate when transparency lapses intersect with broader anxieties about foreign influence and governance.

With a general election set for 12 April 2026, Peru now faces a compressed window to preserve electoral credibility while managing a leadership transition. The Attorney General’s investigation will be decisive in determining whether the episode results in criminal charges or remains a primarily political rupture—the former would extend the legal unraveling of another leader, the latter would underscore how perception and optics alone can terminate an interim presidency.

Sources

• CNN (news report summarizing congressional vote, investigation and timeline)