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2026-02-18 09:10:17
[Peruvian President Jerome Hari Impeached After Four Months in Office] Peru's Congress voted 75-24 on Tuesday to impeach President José Hari, the 39-year-old leader who had been in office for only four months and became Peru's seventh head of state since 2018. The impeachment was triggered by surveillance footage broadcast by local media showing Hari, wearing a hoodie, having dinner with a businessman involved in government contracts on December 26, 2025. Hari has also drawn attention for hiring several young women who visited the presidential palace at night, but he denies any wrongdoing, stating, "I have not committed any crimes." US Ambassador Bernie Navarro commented that "frequent changes of presidents are abnormal not only in the United States but also in the world." Analysts worry that frequent impeachments by Congress will damage Peru's democracy and ultimately impact its mineral-export-based economy. To date, Peru's economy has remained resilient, with GDP growing by 3.4% last year and inflation falling to a near-decade low of 1.5%. The next president to succeed her will be the newly elected leader of Congress on Wednesday, serving the remainder of his term until July. Herri's impeachment comes just two months before the presidential election, with former Lima mayor Rafael López Aliaga currently leading in the polls with 12% support.
