President axed by lawmakers, legislature chief Jeri sworn in

Peru's lawmakers swore in Congress chief Jose Jeri as the country's new president less than an hour after unanimously voting to remove president Dina Boluarte, one of the world's least popular leaders.

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The vote and swearing in ceremony took place shortly after midnight yesterday, only hours after political blocs from across the spectrum first presented motions for Ms Boluarte’s removal on grounds of moral incapacity.

Mr Jeri, who becomes Peru’s seventh president since 2016, signalled he would take a tough approach on rising insecurity, one of the major criticisms that was levelled against Ms Boluarte. He addressed Congress wearing a sash of the national flag.

“The main enemy is out there on the streets: criminal gangs,” he said. “We must declare war on crime.”

The 38-year-old member of the conservative Somos Peru Party, who became Congress president in July, joins the ranks of some of the world’s youngest heads of state.