Pedro Castillo does not accept the resignation of his prime minister

The Peruvian President peter castleannounced this Friday that not that he has accepted the resignation of the prime minister, Aníbal Torres, who had placed his position at the disposal of the president and who, according to the head of state, has promised to continue in office. “I have not accepted the resignation of the premier, Aníbal Torres, who is committed to continuing to work for our country,” Castillo wrote in a brief message on Twitter.

In case of having left office, Torres would be the fourth prime minister in a year that left the position. The politician presented his resignation last Wednesday “for personal reasons”, although, since it was not irrevocable, it was conditional on the head of state accepting it. “I am retiring from office after having served, together with you, our country, especially the most neglected and forgotten people. Today I have to return to the university classrooms with my students, and return to what I missed the most: research legal process,” Torres said in his letter of resignation. In the event that the prime minister resigns, all members of the cabinet must also resign and it is up to the president to appoint a new government.

This Thursday, Castillo announced upon his departure from the headquarters of the Public Ministry, where the president was summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office to give his testimony about an investigation against him for various police and military promotions, that this Friday he would take the oath of the new cabinet. Since then, several names have been considered as possible successors to Torres in the local media, including more centrist or progressive ministers, as well as options closer to the president.

But with the rejection of the prime minister’s resignation, confusion was generated, because, as he remained in office, you do not need to appoint a new cabinet, although you can change ministers. With this decision, Castillo avoids going through the vote of confidence that Congress had to issue for the new cabinet to be approved, something that was considered complicated by the broad rejection that he has in Parliament.

six new ministers

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Finally, the president changed the heads of six ministries, among which are those of Economy and Foreign Affairs, after rejecting Torres’s resignation. The university professor and former minister in the government of Ollanta Humala (2011-2016) Kurt Burneo is the new head of Economy, replacing Óscar Graham, while the internationalist Miguel Angel Rodriguez is the new foreign minister, replacing César Landa. On the other hand, the hitherto Minister of Culture, Alexander Salaswill occupy the Labor and Employment Promotion portfolio, while Geiner Alvarado goes from Housing to Transport and Communications, replacing Juan Barranzuela. The former Minister of Labor Betssy Chavezwho left her post after being censured by Congress, will occupy the portfolio of Culture and Cesar Paniagua will be homeowner.

Burneo, the new Minister of Economy, assumed the Production portfolio during Humala’s mandate and a few weeks ago he confessed in a local media outlet that Castillo had previously offered him his position. “There were two attempts for me to join as Minister of State. Unfortunately, things had not changed much regarding the way the State was being managed, I decided to step aside and not accept the invitation,” he said on Canal N.