"Peru's congress elected Jose Maria Balcazar, an octogenarian leftist lawmaker who has defended child marriage, as the country's new interim president on Wednesday ahead of general elections in April. Balcazar is Peru's ninth president since 2016. The surprise election, in which Balcazar beat the favourite, conservative lawmaker Maria del Carmen Alva, came after lawmakers voted to remove his predecessor Jose Jeri, on Tuesday, after just four months in office, due to a scandal over secretive meetings with Chinese businessmen."
"In 2023, the former regional high court judge sparked controversy as the only lawmaker to criticise and vote against a measure to ban child marriage. He said it should be limited to those under 14 only. From the age of 14 onwards, there should be no impediment; everyone has sexual relations, [male] teachers with pupils, female teachers with pupils, and between pupils too. That's fine, he told journalists after the vote in congress."
Jose Maria Balcazar, an octogenarian leftist lawmaker from Peru Libre who has defended child marriage, was elected interim president by congress ahead of April general elections. He became Peru's ninth president since 2016 after lawmakers removed predecessor Jose Jeri following a scandal over secret meetings with Chinese businessmen. Balcazar was sworn in as head of congress after a four-hour session and won a second-round vote over conservative Maria del Carmen Alva. His election provoked accusations from right-wing parties and praise from leftist sectors. Previously he criticized a ban on child marriage, saying relations from age 14 posed no impediment and later claiming his remarks were taken out of context.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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