Lawmakers to Choose Peru’s Next President After Leader Is Ousted

Peru’s Congress will choose the country’s eighth president in a decade on Wednesday to replace newly ousted leader José Jerí, with four lawmakers — largely unknown to the public — in the running, Franklin Briceño reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Peru’s revolving-door presidency reflects a political crisis fueled by leaders’ lack of legislative majorities. (Photo: Presidencia Perú Flickr)

The candidate who secures the most votes will lead the nation until July 28, when power will transfer to the winner of the general election scheduled for April.

Peru’s revolving-door presidency reflects a political crisis fueled by leaders’ lack of legislative majorities.

Lawmakers have frequently used a broad interpretation of a constitutional article regarding “permanent moral incapacity” to remove sitting presidents.

Recently, Congress voted to remove Jerí after four months in office. The removal followed revelations about his undisclosed meetings with Chinese business owners, including a state contractor.

Jerí asserted he was merely coordinating a Peruvian-Chinese festival.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched two preliminary investigations into Jerí over allegations of illegal sponsorship of private interests and influence peddling to the detriment of the state.

Congress has announced that four candidates had officially registered for Wednesday night’s vote, though levels of support remain unclear. The front-runner is believed to be María del Carmen Alva, a 58-year-old lawyer nominated by the conservative Popular Action party.

Alva, a former speaker of Congress, comes from a family with significant interests in the agro-export sector, particularly companies that ship asparagus to international markets, including the U.S.