Peru's new premier Luis Arroyo takes office after Miralles resignation

Luis Enrique Arroyo was sworn in as Peru's new president of the Council of Ministers, replacing Denisse Miralles, who submitted her resignation on Tuesday, March 17, one day before the interim cabinet was scheduled to request a confidence vote from Congress.

Miralles transmitted her "irrevocable resignation" to President José María Balcázar in a letter, stating the decision was made "in response to a request" from the Presidency on the same day. She had been appointed to lead the Council of Ministers on February 24. In her resignation letter, Miralles thanked the president for the confidence placed in her and said she would continue placing her "capacities and experience at the service of the State from wherever it is required and most useful for Peru, with the same dedication and vocation."

Miralles had been under investigation along with four other ministers due to various irregularities at the time of her resignation.

In his initial statements as the new head of the Council of Ministers, Arroyo stated that his cabinet is composed of competent professionals with extensive experience, a vocation for service, and "a deep commitment to Peru." He emphasized that the cabinet's duty is to "guarantee the economic, political and social stability of the country, as well as an orderly and secure democratic transition."

"Peru needs stability and the unity of its political representatives. That is the call we make today, to act with responsibility thinking of the country," Arroyo said.

The new cabinet includes five new ministers while 13 officials were retained in their positions. Among the appointments, Rodolfo Acuña was sworn in as the new minister of Economy and Finance, becoming the tenth person to hold this strategic portfolio in the last five years.

Former Economy Minister Luis Miguel Castilla noted that the average tenure of Economy and Finance ministers in the past five years has been only five months, compared to 30 months previously. Castilla stated that five months is insufficient time to execute effective public policies, and that such high rotation of authorities causes inaction and confusion among economic agents.

Regarding the confidence vote, congresswoman Diana Gonzales of the Avanza País bloc and congressman Flavio Cruz of Perú Libre indicated that their parliamentary groups have not yet made a definitive decision on whether to grant confidence to the current ministerial team. Gonzales stated that her group would evaluate the situation in the coming days, noting that a caucus meeting was scheduled for the following day to reassess what the president had presented.

Arroyo outlined that the cabinet assumes its task with the objective of urgently addressing the country's main needs and ensuring that the State responds effectively. He added that public investment must reach where it is most needed and that the government will strengthen preparation and response to the El Niño phenomenon.

The National Parliament informed in a statement that a plenary session was scheduled to address the new cabinet's presentation.