Peru's Congress Ousts Interim President Jerí

Peru's Congress voted Tuesday to remove interim President José Jerí from office after just four months, citing undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen that sparked corruption allegations. The ouster, which passed by a 75-24 margin with three abstentions, marks the eighth leadership change in the South American nation since 2016 and underscores deepening political instability ahead of national elections on April 12.

Jerí, 39, who had also served as president of Congress, ascended to the presidency in October following the removal of his predecessor, Dina Boluarte. Lawmakers invoked a constitutional provision on moral incapacity to strip him of his congressional role, automatically ending his presidential tenure. The move requires only a simple majority, unlike full impeachment, which demands a supermajority.

The controversy, dubbed Chifagate, erupted last month when videos surfaced showing Jerí entering establishments owned by Yang Zhihua, a prominent Chinese-Peruvian businessman known as Johnny, without logging the visits as required by law. Jerí acknowledged the meetings during congressional questioning but described them as informal, including discussions about a...