by the El Reportero‘s wire services
Peru’s Congress on Wednesday selected José María Balcázar to serve as acting president, placing him in charge of the country’s government until July 28, when the winner of the upcoming general elections is scheduled to take office. Balcázar replaces José Jerí, who had led the interim administration after the removal of former president Dina Boluarte last year.
Balcázar headed one of four slates competing for control of Congress’ leadership board, which also oversees the legislature through the end of its 2025–2026 term. His election gives him responsibility for guiding both the legislative agenda and the executive branch during the final months before Peru returns to the polls.
Jerí assumed the presidency in October 2025 following Congress’ decision to remove Boluarte from office. As Jerí was not an elected president, lawmakers removed him this week through a censure motion against the congressional leadership rather than through the constitutional vacancy process used in Boluarte’s case. The episode marks another leadership change in a country that has struggled with political instability for years.
With Balcázar’s appointment, Peru has now seen eight heads of state in less than a decade. Since 2016, when Ollanta Humala completed the term he began in 2011, no Peruvian president has finished a full mandate, a pattern that has fueled public frustration and weakened confidence in political institutions.
Government officials sought to minimize concerns about the transition. Ernesto Álvarez, the prime minister appointed during Jerí’s tenure, said Wednesday that the change in leadership should not be viewed as a crisis or a power struggle. He described it as an institutional process aimed at maintaining continuity of governance.
Álvarez said the outgoing administration would cooperate fully with Balcázar and called on political actors to prioritize stability in the months ahead. He emphasized the need to guide the state through the remainder of the transition period while building consensus to ensure that the upcoming general elections are conducted freely and impartially.
Peru is scheduled to hold the first round of general elections on April 12, with a runoff expected on June 7 if no candidate secures a majority. Until July 28, when the next elected president is sworn in, the caretaker administration will complete the remainder of the term originally won by Pedro Castillo in 2021, with Dina Boluarte serving at the time as vice president.
Balcázar had previously faced criticism from child rights groups for past statements supporting legal exceptions that would allow marriage at age 14.
