Left-wing parliamentarian José Maria Balcazar has been elected head of the Peruvian Parliament, automatically acceding to the interim presidency of the country, following the swift removal of José Jeri, amid a backdrop of chronic political instability, media reported Thursday.
Aged 83, this lawyer and former magistrate becomes the country’s eighth head of State since 2016. He will lead Peru until the entry into office of his successor at the end of July, after the April presidential election.
“Jose Maria Balcazar Zalada has been elected president of the Congress of the Republic. Thus, he will assume the interim presidency of the Republic of Peru,” the Parliament announced on its X account.
