Peru appoints Jose Maria Balcazar as president after Jose Jeri's removal

"The new president will serve on an interim basis until a new executive is sworn in after April's general election. Peru's Congress has voted to appoint former judge and left-wing lawmaker Jose Maria Balcazar as interim president, replacing the right-wing leader Jose Jeri a day after his removal. Wednesday's vote ushers in Peru's ninth president in a decade. Balcazar's term, however, will be short."

"In just 53 days, on April 12, the country will head to the ballot box to vote for a new president. If no candidate gains more than 50 percent of the vote, a run-off will be held in June. Traditionally, Peru's president-elects are inaugurated on the country's Independence Day in late July. That ceremony will mark the end of Balcazar's leadership."

"Balcazar's ascent to the presidency, however, was marked by its own turmoil. In an initial round of voting, centre-right lawyer Maria del Carmen Alva, 58, and Balcazar, 83, came out ahead, with 43 and 46 votes respectively. But they both fell short of the 59 votes needed to be president, so another round of voting was announced. The left-wing party Together for Peru, however, decided to boycott the second round. Balcazar ultimately won after a tally of the 113 congressional votes cast."

Peru's Congress appointed former judge and left-wing lawmaker Jose Maria Balcazar as interim president, replacing right-wing leader Jose Jeri. Balcazar will serve until a new executive is sworn in after the April general election. The country will vote on April 12, with a June run-off if no candidate exceeds 50 percent, and the president-elect traditionally takes office on Independence Day in late July. Balcazar's brief tenure reflects ongoing political turbulence: among the last eight presidents, four were impeached, two resigned, and only Ollanta Humala completed a full term ending in July 2016.

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