Peru's president sacks prime minister, promises new cabinet shuffle

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo to reshuffle the cabinet, named just three days ago, after his pick for prime minister was widely condemned over allegations that he had used violence on his daughter and late wife.

Peru's President Pedro Castillo walks out the Congress after his swearing-in ceremony, in Lima, Peru July 28, 2021.
Reuters

Peru's President Pedro Castillo walks out the Congress after his swearing-in ceremony, in Lima, Peru July 28, 2021.

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has dumped his prime minister just three days after appointing him, amid outrage over revelations he was accused of domestic violence in 2016.

"I have decided to recompose the cabinet," the president said on Friday, meaning Prime Minister Hector Valer Pinto is out.

The leftist Castillo announced the change in a brief television address in which he did not mention Valer Pinto by name.

The opposition and even some cabinet ministers were up in arms about Valer Pinto's continued presence in the government.

When the president names a new cabinet, it will be his fourth since taking power six months ago.

Valer Pinto, 62, first came under pressure on Thursday when newspapers reported that in 2016 his wife and university-age daughter reported him for domestic violence.

On Friday, before the president pushed him out, the speaker of congress urged the prime minister to resign.

Three ministers also challenged him, with Foreign Minister Cesar Landa writing on Twitter that "public service requires officials free of such accusations."

Valer Pinto responded to the news reports by denying he was an "abuser" and said he was never convicted of domestic violence.

He insisted he would stay on in his job unless congress passed a no confidence motion.

READ MORE: Peru's president swears in new PM in bid to calm political upheaval

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