Peru's Congress Ousts New President in Under Six Months

---

Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

---

Summary

Peru's Congress will soon elect its eighth president in 10 years, following the ouster of President Jose Jerí amid ongoing political instability. The country anticipated US$7 billion in investments in eight mining projects in 2026.

---

Jeri Jolted

Peru's Congress voted on Tuesday to oust President Jose Jeri, who had taken power in October, following the impeachment of former President Dina Boluarte, who had come to power after Congress removed President Pedro Castillo in 2022.

Jeri's episode is the latest in a saga of political instability dating back to 2016. Since then, seven presidents have headed the nation's executive branch. Over the last decade, four presidents have been removed by Congress, while two resigned and only one finished his term.

Jeri was ousted by 75 votes in favor, 24 against, and three abstentions. Opponents allege he held secret meetings with Chinese businessmen. They also cited issues related to the hiring of officials, according to news media reports.

The Congress is expected to elect a new president today, 18 February, 18:00 local time. According to Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, among the members of parliament who could be elected president are Maria Del Carmen Alva, Jose Balcazar, Hector Acuña and Edgar Reymundo, all from different political parties.

The new president will oversee the April elections and will remain in power until July 28, when the winner of the elections will be sworn in.

Peru has a long history of prosecuting and jailing former presidents:

• Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) sentenced to 25 years in prison for corruption and human rights abuses.
• Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006) was sentenced to 20 years in prison for corruption.
• Alan Garcia (2006-2011) committed suicide as security forces went to arrest him over corruption scandals.
• Ollanta Humala (2011-2016) was sentenced to 15 years in prison over corruption scandals.
• Pedro Kuczynski (2016-2018) was under house arrest and is being investigated by the judiciary.
• Martin Vizcarra (2018-2020) was sentenced to 14 years in prison over corruption scandals.
• Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) was sentenced to 11 years in prison over rebellion charges.

Despite the political turmoil surrounding Jeri's removal, the Peruvian Sol has remained stable.

Mining Untouched

Despite a decade of political instability, Peru has remained one of the world's top three copper producers and a key gold supplier.

Industrial Info is tracking 674 mining projects (excluding bricks and ceramics, cement and glass plants) in Peru, totalling more than US$51 billion of investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more--including capacities, investment values and necessary equipment--from a detailed list of project reports.

Throughout 2025, Peru's copper production reached 2.77 million tons, up 1.2% from the previous year and remaining the world's third largest producer behind Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last year's copper production was the highest since at least 2000.

Meanwhile, gold production totalled 108 million fine grams in the same period, about 0.7% fewer than in 2024.

In 2025, the South American nation saw US$6.22 billion in mining investments across commodities, representing a 24.3% year-on-year increase and the highest annual rate since 2015.

For 2026, however, Peru is expecting US$7 billion in investments for eight large mining projects, according to information published by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in early February 2026.

Key Takeaways

• President Jeri was ousted by Congress after fewer than six months in office.
• Several of Peru's presidents since 1990 have been jailed or prosecuted.
• The country could see US$7 billion in mining investments across 8 projects in 2026.

---

About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR News Intelligence) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).