MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Toledo: Time has come for changes in government.

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo said in a speech on Monday that “the time has come” for changes in his administration and that he will be appointing more people with diverse political views.

The president's speech coincided with Prime Minister Luis Solari's announcement that Toledo's entire Cabinet will resign on Monday.

Toledo met with conservative Popular Christian Party (PPC) leader Luis Bedoya Reyes last week, apparently to offer him the newly vacant prime minister's post, political observers believe.

Cabinet ministers in Peru traditionally offer their resignations to the president on a biannual basis. The first occasion comes in the weeks prior to the July 28 Independence Day celebrations, while the second falls in December.

"The turning point has arrived and we are going to make changes for Peru as a whole. Here you do not have a party sectarian president," said Toledo.

He added that his government welcomed "all races with open arms" because "that is how we regain democracy and freedom, and we are going to continue governing under that philosophy," after which he promised he will select "men and women regardless of their political leanings."

Toledo pointed to his current Cabinet in which there are four or five ministers who are militants of his Peru Possible party, while the rest are independents whom he called "highly qualified professionals." He said that after nearly two years under his administration - which began July 28, 2001 - the government will "capitalize on our achievements and strengths" and "learn from our weaknesses" for the future.

Toledo's presidential authority has been badly shaken by a series strikes by labor unions, students and farmers and violent street protests that led the government to declare a state of emergency last month. His popularity rating has fallen to a mere 11 percent.