Peru's Interim President José Jerí Impeached

Peru's Congress has impeached interim President José Jerí after just four months in office, citing corruption allegations and his failure to disclose meetings with Chinese businessmen, notably Zhihua Yang. This marks the third consecutive presidential removal and the eighth president in Peru in as many years, highlighting severe political instability. Jerí, who replaced Dina Boluarte, denies wrongdoing, claiming the meetings were for a cultural event. The scandal, dubbed 'Chifagate,' involved leaked footage of Jerí meeting Yang, who holds government contracts and is linked to an energy project. Lawmakers voted 75-24 to remove Jerí, who will return to his legislative role. The Congress will now elect a new interim president, as current head Fernando Rospigliosi declined the role. Despite the political turmoil, Peru's mining-heavy economy has remained stable, with low inflation and a healthy debt-to-GDP ratio, suggesting some insulation from political shocks. The country is preparing for general elections in April, with widespread public distrust in the political class.