Peru lawmakers gather support to call for debate to oust president Jeri

LIMA, Feb 12 (Reuters) – Peru’s congress on Thursday secured enough signatures to begin a debate on the removal and censure of President Jose Jeri, according to congressional documents, in the latest fallout from a scandal involving reports of his undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman.

Once Congress formally files a motion calling for Jeri’s removal, the Congress president has 15 days to summon Jeri to the floor. Jeri then will face lawmaker concerns before Congress votes on his potential removal. A censure would also strip Jeri of his prior role as Congress president, leaving him as a congressman.Jeri took office in October following the removal of former President Dina Boluarte.  

In January, he told lawmakers that calls for his removal over the meetings with the Chinese businessman, Zhihua Yang, were an attempt to destabilize his government and disrupt upcoming elections. Peruvians will head to the polls to elect a new president on April 12.

The Andean nation has struggled with deep-seated political instability, with seven presidents, including Jeri, taking the oath of office since 2016. 

Ollanta Humala, who served from 2011 to 2016, was the last president to complete a full term. Humala was sentenced to 15 years in prison for money laundering earlier this year.

(Reporting by Dante Alva and Alexander Villegas, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon)