Peru’s congress names José María Balcázar interim president
Balcázar, a lawyer from Cajamarca and a former judge, takes office with a record that has drawn controversy in the past. It includes public remarks defending child marriage
Peru’s Congress late Wednesday elected José María Balcázar, an 83-year-old lawmaker from Peru Libre, as the country’s interim president following the removal of President José Jerí amid allegations tied to undisclosed meetings and suspected influence peddling. Balcázar is set to remain in office until July 28, when he must hand power to the winner of the general election scheduled for April 12.
Balcázar prevailed in a second-round congressional vote against Maricarmen (María del Carmen) Alva. No contender secured the simple majority needed in the first ballot, triggering a parliamentary runoff between the top two vote-getters.
His selection came a day after Congress removed Jerí, just four months after he took office following Dina Boluarte’s impeachment. With no acting vice president, Peru went for roughly 24 hours without a formal head of state, while Jerí’s cabinet stayed on in a caretaker capacity with limited administrative functions.
The political case against Jerí intensified after reports of clandestine meetings with a Chinese businessman and allegations linked to state contracting. Jerí denied wrongdoing and said he had committed no crimes.
Balcázar, a lawyer from Cajamarca and a former judge, takes office with a record that has drawn controversy in the past. It includes public remarks defending child marriage and statements about “early sexual relations” that prompted condemnation from officials and civil society voices in Peru.
In the run-up to the vote, parties maneuvered around competing bids. Fuerza Popular, for instance, issued a statement saying: “We believe the country cannot withstand more improvisation or political calculations… Therefore, we will support María del Carmen Alva,” though the final parliamentary outcome favored Balcázar in the second round.
After Jerí’s removal, his prime minister Ernesto Álvarez sought to close the door on any immediate political comeback, saying: “In politics, as in love and war, you shouldn’t look pitiful,” and adding: “He should never in his life wear a hood again,” a reference to the attire used in meetings that became central to the scandal.
