International
Peru’s president swears in new cabinet, his fourth in six months
AFP
Peru’s leftist President Pedro Castillo on Tuesday appointed a new cabinet, the fourth since he came to power six months ago, including replacing a prime minister who lasted just three days in office.
“Yes, I swear,” Anibal Torres, a lawyer taking over the role of prime minister, declared as he was sworn in by Castillo in a brief ceremony at the government palace in Lima.
Torres, 79, has been the head of the Justice Ministry since the current government took power in July.
Castillo’s six months in office have been characterized by setbacks and internal struggles within the government, as well as attacks from the radical right, which launched a failed attempt to impeach him.
A week ago, Castillo appointed his third cabinet after the surprise resignation of Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez due to disagreements over promotions in the police force.
In his place, the president appointed lawyer and parliamentarian Hector Valer Pinto, who was left in the hot seat after Lima media reported that his wife and university-educated daughter had denounced him in 2016 for alleged domestic violence.
Three days later, Castillo announced that he was going to “reshuffle” the cabinet again, marking the departure of the questioned Valer.
He was widely criticised for appointing Valer and for taking so long to put together a new cabinet after removing him from office.
“Castillo seems lost in a labyrinth and the question is where he is going to get out of it. That’s why Peruvians are living in great anxiety, because they don’t know what’s going to happen,” political analyst and former ambassador Hugo Otero told AFP.
But for political analyst Eduardo Ballon, Castillo’s woes are simply “the continuation of a long-standing crisis” in the political system, as he told the daily La Republica.
Since 2017, Peru has experienced recurring bouts of instability after political leaders began pushing “vacancy” motions in Congress to abruptly get rid of presidents.
This led the country to have three presidents in five days in November 2020.
Torres now has 30 days to get a vote of confidence from Congress for the new cabinet.
If the right-wing opposition-controlled parliament denies him, Torres must resign and Castillo must form a fifth cabinet.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
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