Peru President Jeri: CCTV Footage Missing in Probe of Meetings with Chinese Businessman

Peru’s President Faces Mounting Pressure Amid Secret Meeting Scandal

Lima, Peru – Peruvian President José Jerí is facing increasing calls for his removal from office following revelations of undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, Zhihua Yang. The controversy centers around concerns of potential corruption and a lack of transparency, prompting a criminal probe and escalating political tensions.

The scandal first emerged in January 2026, with reports detailing President Jerí’s meetings with Yang on December 26, 2025, and January 6, 2026, as reported by local media. These meetings were not included in the president’s official agenda, raising questions about the nature of the discussions and potential conflicts of interest.

Adding to the complexity, CCTV footage surfaced showing President Jerí entering a Chinese restaurant in Lima on December 26th while wearing a hat obscuring his face. The restaurant is owned by Zhihua Yang, who has recently been linked to corruption allegations. A second meeting was recorded at a Market Capón location in central Lima on January 6th.

President Jerí appeared before a congressional oversight committee on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, to address the unregistered meetings. He subsequently requested to appear before Congress to “clarify” the situation, according to Reuters. However, the situation has continued to escalate, with lawmakers considering motions for his removal.

A key element of the investigation now focuses on potential manipulation of security footage. According to a document from the Public Ministry, recordings from digital video recorders (DVRs) at both the Chinese restaurant and a Market Capón location in San Borja began registering footage starting January 22nd. The DVR at the Market Capón location in central Lima showed recordings beginning even earlier, on January 16th. This timing raises concerns about the potential deletion or alteration of footage from the dates of President Jerí’s visits.

The Fiscalía Anticorrupción (Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office) has indicated that the DVRs from the Market Capón location in central Lima were “presumed to have been manipulated.” A forensic IT analysis has been ordered to attempt to recover any potentially deleted audiovisual material from December 2025 through January 29, 2026, and to determine if the DVRs were altered.

The investigation extends beyond the meetings themselves. Authorities are examining whether Yang sought to reverse the closure of a Market Capón location and whether President Jerí intervened to facilitate Yang’s company becoming a supplier of video cameras for Lima’s public transportation system – a contract worth approximately 112 million soles (approximately $30 million USD). Yang’s companies also import fiber optics, lenses, binoculars, security cameras, projectors, and drones.

The prosecutor’s office is also investigating a ceramics plant owned by Yang, located on the Pan-American South highway. Requests have been made to the Chinese Embassy in Peru for information regarding the coordination of the “Peru-China Fraternity Day 2026” event, and the role of presidential officials in those arrangements. The location of this event was reportedly changed from outside the Presidential Palace to the Ministry of Culture, prompting further scrutiny.

Raquel Nuñuvero, the lawyer representing Zhihua Yang, has rejected the allegations and characterized the prosecutor’s claims as “false.” She stated that no forensic report has yet confirmed any video manipulation and cited the confidentiality of the investigation as a reason for limited comment. She also indicated that the claim of manipulation is being challenged by the defense, and a forensic analysis has been ordered.

The Dircocor-PNP (Directorate Against Corruption of the National Police of Peru) has scheduled an investigative hearing with Zhihua Yang for February 18, 2026. Authorities have also requested documentation from the Presidential Palace, including vehicle logs for December 2025 and January 2026, and a list of personnel assigned to the president’s security detail during that period.