Peru's President Jose Jeri was ousted after facing parliamentary censure for informal meetings with Chinese businessmen.

According to CNN, lawmakers on Tuesday (local time) passed a no-confidence motion against interim President Jeri with a vote of 75 to 24, just four months after he assumed the interim presidency and two months before the expected general elections.

The impeachment of a Peruvian president is finalized by a congressional vote without a separate trial process.

Jeri, 39, was reportedly hooded during one of these informal gatherings. This political scandal led the Peruvian Attorney General's Office to launch an investigation into Jeri.

"The board of directors declares the office of President of the Congress of the Republic vacant, and therefore, the office of President of the Republic is also vacant," announced Fernando Rospigliosi, acting president of Congress.

A congressional vote is scheduled for Wednesday, where various political forces will meet to agree on a list of candidates for the presidency of Congress, thereby determining the next interim president.

Jeri is the eighth Peruvian president in the last 15 years, having ascended to the presidency in October after becoming Speaker of Congress following the impeachment of President Dina Boluarte. Boluarte served as president for a year and a half after the impeachment and arrest of President Pedro Castillo in 2022.

Jeri has been accused of misconduct after holding informal meetings with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang, who owns one of the companies granted business concessions by the state.

He denied any wrongdoing, claiming the meetings were merely "circumstantial evidence" and denying that the businessman ever requested any favors or support from him.

The first meeting, held in December at a Chinese restaurant in Lima, sparked controversy when Jeri was photographed entering the establishment wearing a hood. He had another meeting with Yang last month at a Chinese merchandise store, this time appearing in sunglasses.

Neither of the meetings was registered in the official records of the Presidency.

Last month, Jeri acknowledged the meetings and apologized for the manner in which they were conducted.

"I recognize my mistake and I publicly apologize for the way I entered hooded and for this generating suspicions and misunderstandings about my actions and the creation of all sorts of falsehoods without any basis," Jeri said.

USA NNP=Sung Ku Hong Chief Reporter / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com