Peru’s new president, José Jerí, has been anable to form a Cabinet. Photo by John Reyes Mejia/EPA
Peru’s new president, José Jerí, has spent more than 72 hours in office without managing to form a Cabinet amid a sharp lack of political and public support.
Although the president said he is “building a new Cabinet,” talks with political blocs in Congress have stalled and several parties have declined to join his transitional government, according to Peruvian media reports.
In his first days, Jerí has sought to project visible action by meeting with security forces and calling for calm. Analysts warn that his tenure will depend on whom he appoints as ministers and whether he can consolidate political backing in Congress and among citizens.
The delay in naming officials reflects the administration’s isolation after the ouster of Dina Boluarte in a country where presidential succession has become almost routine and public trust in Congress and the government has fallen to historic lows.
The delay in appointing a president of the Council of Ministers has created uncertainty, as forming a Cabinet is essential to setting priorities and ensuring the new government’s ability to govern.
Article 120 of Peru’s Constitution states that acts of the president — including decrees and administrative decisions — are not valid without the signatures of the ministers. As a result, until Jerí appoints a prime minister and ministers, most of his executive decisions have no legal effect.
Jerí took office in a deeply polarized climate. His legitimacy has been questioned even before forming a Cabinet. His rise to power did not come through a popular vote — but through the congressional line of succession — and he arrives with low public approval and multiple judicial investigations, deepening a widespread sense of political instability.
In early 2025, José Jerí was accused of sexual assault. Although prosecutors closed the case in August for lack of evidence, he was later investigated for failing to attend court-ordered anger management therapy.
He also faces a third investigation for alleged illicit enrichment, as his assets reportedly grew from about $30,000 in 2021 to more than $1 million by 2024.
@When he headed Congress’ Budget Committee from 2023 to 2024, businesswoman Blanca Ríos alleged she paid a $20,000 bribe to his associates to secure the inclusion of a project in Cajamarca in the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s budget. However, those allegations did not lead to formal charges.
Peru has become the country with the most presidential changes in the world over the past decade. Jerí is the eighth president to take office since 2016 — a period that saw three leaders replaced within a single week in November 2020.
