Peru's Congress will choose the country's eighth president in a decade on Wednesday to replace the newly ousted former leader José Jerí, with four largely unknown lawmakers vying for the position. The winner will serve as interim president until July 28, when power transfers to the victor of the April 12 general election.
Peru's revolving-door presidencies stem from a political crisis marked by a lack of legislative majorities for leaders. Lawmakers have often invoked a broad interpretation of a constitutional provision on “permanent moral incapacity” to oust sitting presidents. On Tuesday, Congress voted to remove José Jerí after four months in office, following revelations of his undisclosed meetings with Chinese business owners, including a state contractor. Jerí maintained that the meetings were only to coordinate a Peruvian-Chinese festival.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has initiated two preliminary investigations into Jerí for alleged illegal sponsorship of private interests and influence-peddling to the detriment of the state.
Congress announced on Tuesday that four candidates had registered for Wednesday's vote. Support levels remain unclear, and a candidate needs a majority of votes from those present to win. Without a majority, the top two will proceed to a runoff, with the most votes securing victory.
The perceived front-runner is María del Carmen Alva, a 58-year-old lawyer nominated by the conservative Popular Action party. Alva, who once served as speaker of Congress, hails from a family with substantial stakes in the agro-export sector, particularly companies exporting asparagus to markets including the United States.
Another contender is Héctor Acuña, a 68-year-old engineer from the conservative Honor and Democracy group. He brings extensive private sector experience but is seen as less seasoned in traditional politics. Acuña is the brother of César Acuña, a wealthy former governor running for president on April 12 under the Alliance for Progress banner—a party that previously backed former presidents Dina Boluarte and Jerí.
The remaining candidates are José Balcázar, an 83-year-old former judge from the leftist Perú Libre party, and Edgard Reymundo, a 73-year-old sociologist representing the leftist Bloque Democrático.
Jerí’s successor will face a rising tide of murders and extortion plaguing small business owners and the working class. Various political groups are calling for firm guarantees of a transparent election, which will also select a new Congress comprising 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 60 senators.
