Peru: Three new ministers sworn in amid pro-Castillo protests

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Jan 08:04
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Peru's current President Dina Boluarte names new ministers, including a new interior minister, to replace Victor Rojas who stepped down in protest of Boluarte's handling of protests.

From left: Minister of Interior, Vicente Romero Fernandez, President Dina Boluarte, Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations, Nancy Rosalina Tolentino, Minister of Labor and Employment Promotion, Luis Alfonso Adrianzen Ojeda (Presidency of the Republic of Peru)

New interior and labor ministers, as well as a new minister of women and vulnerable populations were sworn in by Peru's current President Dina Boluarte, as part of a cabinet reshuffle amid an investigation into government actions against protests taking place following the ousting of President Pedro Castillo.

Boluarte named Vicente Romero as the new interior minister on Friday, to replace Victor Rojas.

Simultaneously, Luis Alfonso Adrianzen Ojeda replaced Eduardo Garcia Birimisa as the new Minister of Labor and Promotion of Employment, while Nancy Tolentino Gamarra was sworn in as the new Minister of Women and Vulnerable Populations, taking over from Grecia Rojas Ortiz.

It is worth noting that the Peruvian Minister of Labor, Birimisa, resigned as a result of disagreement with Boluarte's mishandling of the social protests, which has so far resulted in the deaths of 48 people.

The protest broke out in Peru following the ousting of Pedro Castillo from his post as president on December 7.

Vice President Dina Boluarte took an oath as the country's new president, ignoring Castillo's decision to dissolve parliament just hours earlier.

The demonstrations left 41 people dead so far, including a police officer.

Almost half of those who lost their lives were killed in clashes on December 13 in the southern Puno region, where 17 people were scheduled to be buried on Thursday.

Protestors demanded justice on Thursday across Peru for the victims of attacks registered as a consequence of repression at the hands of security forces.

Another victim succumbed to his injuries and passed away in the Puno region after he was injured on January 9 by security forces in the city of Juliaca. In light of that, the regional governments of Puno, Apurímac, and Cusco asked incumbent president Dina Boluarte to resign.