Peruvian lawmakers picked Jose Maria Balcazar as the country's new interim President on Wednesday (February 18, 2026), after previous leader Jose Jeri was impeached on graft allegations. Mr. Balcazar will lead the country until his successor takes office on July 28, after the Presidential election on April 12. In a TikTok post on Wednesday (February 18), Mr. Jeri said "serving Peru was, and will remain, an honor." Mr. Jeri maintains his innocence, but for ordinary Peruvians, the political upheaval is just a sideshow to their own daily lives becoming increasingly precarious. Mr. Jeri is also under investigation for alleged "illegal sponsorship of interests" following a secret meeting with a Chinese businessman with commercial ties with the government.

Source: The Hindu February 19, 2026 15:22 UTC