Peru Congress ousts President Jerí over secret China meetings scandal

Peru's Congress voted 75-to-censure to remove President José Jerí on February 17, 2026, 130 days after he took office following Dina Boluarte's impeachment. Jerí was removed over "chifagate" — clandestine meetings with Chinese businessmen including Zhihua Yang at a Lima restaurant on December 26 and at the Barrio Chino market on January 6, raising corruption suspicions. The removal marked the eighth presidential ouster in a decade, underscoring a systemic pattern of legislative dominance over Peru's executive branch.