MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Castillo appoints new Peruvian Prime Minister

Betssy Chávez Chino, already under investigation for alleged irregularities during her tenure as Labor Minister has been selected to head the new Cabinet

Culture Minister Betssy Chávez Chino was chosen by Peru's President Pedro Castillo Terrones to become the country's new Prime Minister (President of the Council of Ministers) following Aíbal Torres' resignation Thursday after Congress “refused” to approve a motion of confidence.

“For the respect of the rule of law and the restitution of the balance and separation of powers, yes, I swear,” said Chávez as she took office Friday in Lima. Replacing Chávez as Culture Minister was Perú Libre Congresswoman Silvana Robles.

Chávez is under investigation for the appointment of close associates during her tenure as Labor Minister (Oct. 2021 - May 2022).

According to the Peruvian Constitution, if Parliament rejects a question of confidence, the entire cabinet needs to be renewed. But in the event of a second rejection, the Executive might dissolve Parliament and call for new legislative elections.

After the motion of confidence was rejected, Labor Minister Alejandro Salas explained that “the cabinet is in crisis.”

In another significant change, Castillo removed Vice President Dina Boluarte as Minister of Development and Social Inclusion and appointed Cinthya Lindo Espinoza instead.

After Friday's appointments, the Cabinet headed by Chávez Chino remained as follows: Foreign Affairs - César Landa Arroyo; Justice and Human Rights - Félix Chero Medina; Labor and Employment Promotion - Alejandro Salas Zegarra; Education - Rosendo Serna Román; Economy and Finance - Kurt Burneo Farfán; Interior - Willy Huerta Olivas; Health - Kelly Portalatino Ávalos; Transportation and Communications - Richard Tineo Quispe; Foreign Trade and Tourism - Roberto Sánchez Palomino; Defense: Daniel - Barragán Coloma; Environment - Wilbert Rozas Beltrán; Agriculture and Irrigation - Juan Altamirano Quispe; Development and Social Inclusion - Cinthya Lindo Espinoza; Production - Eduardo Mora Aznarán; Energy and Mines - Oliverio Muñoz Cabrera; Women and Vulnerable Populations - Heidy Juárez Calle; Culture - Silvana Robles Araujo; and Housing, Construction, and Sanitation - César Paniagua Chacón

In the event that the legislature rejects a confidence request for a second time, the Executive is empowered to dissolve the Parliament and immediately call for new legislative elections.