Rights groups expressed concern on Thursday (February 19, 2026) at the choice of 83-year-old Jose Maria Balcazar as Peru’s stand-in President given past utterances on girls and under-aged sex.
Mr. Balcazar was on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) named Peru’s interim leader, for a period of just over five months until the next election, after predecessor Jose Jeri was impeached on graft allegations.
Peru picks Jose Maria Balcazar as interim President, eighth leader in a decade
He became the South American country’s eighth President in a decade.
But Mr. Balcazar’s nomination has angered rights and women’s groups.
