José María Balcázar becomes Peru’s eighth president in a decade
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s Congress late Wednesday elected legislator José María Balcázar as the country’s eighth president in a decade, replacing another interim leader who was ousted the previous day over corruption allegations just four months into his term.
Balcázar, an 83-year-old former judge representing the leftist Perú Libre party, defeated three other candidates with a majority of the 130-member legislature.
The revolving-door presidency in Peru reflects a political crisis fueled by a lack of legislative majorities for leaders. Lawmakers have frequently used a broad interpretation of a constitutional article regarding “permanent moral incapacity” to remove sitting presidents.
Balcázar, a retired judge with nearly 30 years of experience in the judiciary, was sworn in shortly after the vote by the president of the Congress, Fernando Rospigliosi.
He will govern for five months before handing over power to the winner of upcoming elections. Peruvians will choose a new president and legislature on April 12. If no presidential candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the two front-runners will advance to a runoff in June.
Balcázar’s successor will confront a surge in murders and extortion that continues to devastate small business owners and the working class.
Various political groups are demanding firm guarantees for a transparent election.
Balcázar told journalists that he will ensure that the upcoming elections are “unquestionable,” that macroeconomic policies will remain unchanged, along with sound monetary policy “so that economic agents can work without concern,” and that he will seek to refocus the fight against organized crime.
Congress had voted Tuesday to remove conservative interim President José Jerí after four months in office. The current Congress, which began its term in 2021, has now impeached three heads of state: Pedro Castillo, Dina Boluarte and Jerí.
In October 2025, Jerí was serving as president of Congress and was next in the line of succession to replace Boluarte, who had no vice presidents.
His own removal followed revelations regarding 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.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america