Peru’s Political Chaos Deepens as José María Balcázar Becomes Eighth President in a Decade

Peru’s revolving door of presidents continues to spin perilously fast. On a turbulent Wednesday, José María Balcázar, an 83-year-old leftist congressman with a track record riddled with serious allegations, was appointed as the country’s eighth president in just ten years. This appointment by a deeply fractured Peruvian Congress follows the recent ouster of José Jerí, further underscoring a disturbing pattern of political instability that resonates far beyond Lima.How Did Peru End Up Here—and Why Should America Care?Balcázar’s rise is far from reassuring. A former Supreme Court magistrate expelled for unethical and possibly criminal conduct—including accusations of prevarication, fraud, identity theft,...