Overview
- Congress elected José María Balcázar to serve as interim president until July 28 after lawmakers impeached José Jerí over a corruption scandal.
- Judicial authorities summoned Balcázar to continue a trial over alleged misappropriation at the Lambayeque Bar Association, setting hearings for June 16, 23 and 30 and warning that failure to appear could trigger contempt and a nationwide arrest warrant.
- Human rights groups criticized his 2023 remarks on child marriage, while records show he was removed from the Supreme Court bench in 2011 for misconduct and expelled from a regional bar in 2022.
- Balcázar pledged to deliver “unquestionable” elections and avoid economic policy experimentation, and analysts reported little immediate market turbulence following his installation.
- The April 12 presidential vote features a crowded field and high voter indecision, reinforcing concerns about Peru’s cycle of rapid leadership turnover and parliamentary removals.