President Jose Jeri of Peru has vowed not to resign despite rising pressure over a widening scandal involving undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen, as opposition lawmakers say the affair has damaged public trust and senior officials insist no illegal acts took place.
The controversy, known in Peruvian media as “Chifagate”, a reference to Chinese-Peruvian cuisine, centres on late-night encounters at a Chinese restaurant and a wholesale shop in Lima. The meetings were not recorded on the official agenda as required, triggering questions about transparency and presidential conduct.
Jeri came to power in October after the removal of Dina Boluarte. He was serving as president of Congress and assumed the presidency through constitutional succession, with his term unfolding amid ongoing political instability and repeated changes of leadership in recent years.
The scandal began when television programmes aired footage showing the president arriving at a Chinese restaurant in the San Borja district shortly before midnight on December 26. He appeared with his head covered, accompanied by Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio.
The restaurant belongs to Zhihua Yang, a Chinese businessman known as Johnny, who has operated in Peru for more than two decades in sectors ranging from security to construction.
Days later, another video showed the president inside a wholesale shop owned by the same entrepreneur on January 6. The shop had been closed by municipal authorities earlier that day for regulatory breaches and neither visit was officially disclosed.
The government initially said the restaurant meeting was linked to preparations for the Peruvian Chinese Friendship Day on February 1. That explanation was later revised, and officials described the encounters as private and unplanned.
Chinese businessman entered presidential palace, claims local media
Local media then revealed that another Chinese businessman, Ji Wu Xiaodong, who is under a house arrest order for alleged links to illegal logging, had entered the presidential palace multiple times between December and January.
Jeri said he did not know about Ji Wu’s legal situation and added that the businessman “does not speak much Spanish”, arguing that the encounters did not involve any irregular activity.
The Chinese embassy in Lima did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, local media reported that Yang had shown interest in a proposed contract to install surveillance cameras in thousands of public buses, worth around US$30 million for 8,000 cameras.
According to the same reports, the presidency had pushed for internal approval of the project and government officials later acknowledged discussions involving Chinese business figures while denying that any pressure or irregular conduct occurred.
Local media reported at the same time that Yang was interested in a proposal to outfit thousands of public buses with surveillance cameras.
The presidency had sought internal approval for the initiative and government officials acknowledged discussions with Chinese business representatives while denying any claims of pressure or improper conduct related to the project.
Lawmakers reacted swiftly to the controversy, with multiple parties filing motions of censure seeking Jeri’s removal for moral incapacity. A successful vote would require 66 out of 130 seats, although it is not yet clear whether that threshold can be reached.
Internal tensions also surfaced within Somos Peru, the president’s party. George Forsyth, the presidential candidate, released a video urging Jeri to resign, saying “what is happening in the country is sad and shameful”, although the congressional caucus of Somos Peru has not endorsed that position.
As the political fallout mounted, legal authorities stepped in. On Wednesday, Attorney General Tomas Galvez confirmed a preliminary investigation into possible influence peddling and illegal sponsorship of interests.
Under Peruvian law, sitting presidents have immunity from prosecution, meaning any criminal case would wait until the end of the term. The president’s office has said it will cooperate and provide statements and documentation if requested.
Recent polling provided by local media indicates declining approval for the government. Coverage has focused heavily on leaked videos and the president's shifting explanations as the scandal continues to dominate headlines.
Jeri addressed Congress on Wednesday, rejecting accusations of misconduct and ruling out voluntary resignation.
“I will not resign, because doing so would imply that I committed an irregular act,” he said. The president added that he wanted to know “who is behind this plot” and described the release of videos as part of “a political operation” intended to destabilise the government ahead of elections.
Opposition lawmakers responded by filing three new motions of censure, citing unregistered meetings, inconsistent explanations and damage to public confidence.
Ruth Luque, a left-wing Peruvian lawmaker and one of the government’s most vocal critics, said she “does not believe the president’s account” and called for greater transparency around the meetings and official schedules.
Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez denies any wrongdoing
Members of the cabinet also commented publicly. On Monday, Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez said the president had made mistakes but denied wrongdoing and ruled out stepping down from his own post.
“The president told me he has not given any favour and has not signed any adjudication for this type of people,” he said in an interview, adding that “powerful business interests” were trying to influence the electoral process.
Next steps will depend on Congress and the Public Ministry, with lawmakers able to call an extraordinary session to debate censure while prosecutors continue to gather information in the preliminary phase of their inquiry.
Peru is scheduled to hold general elections on April 12 to choose a new president, two vice-presidents and members of Congress, a timetable that is shaping political calculations across the capital. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
