Peru’s president to reshuffle cabinet after losing vote

By Santiago Serna

BOGOTA, Colombia

Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s Cabinet was ousted Friday following a vote of no confidence by the opposition-controlled Congress.

The confidence vote had been requested by Prime Minister Fernando Zavala but was rejected 77-22 with 16 abstentions.

As a result, 19 ministers were forced to resign, and Kuczynski is required to name a new ministerial team in 72 hours.

“The president of Congress, Luis Galarreta Velarde, announced he will inform the executive of the results of the voting, which would imply the immediate discharge of all the president’s ministers,” according to the decision taken by the Senate.

The debate in Congress lasted seven hours, during which the leaders of the main opposition parties – Fuerza Popular and Frente Amplio – rejected the motion. Alianza por el Progreso and the president’s allies voted in favor.

Kuczynski himself had asked Congress, dominated by the Popular Force party led by Keiko Fujimori, for the confidence vote after blaming Congress for blocking his education reforms.

“I won’t take a step back in defending education reform, for the children, for Peru, for governability,” Kuczynski said on Twitter.

The crisis was triggered by a censure motion promoted by the ‘Fujimoristas’ in Congress over the education minister’s handling of a lengthy teacher’s strike. Teachers belonging to a union had been demanding better pay and working conditions.

The second vice president of Peru, Mercedes Aráoz, announced that in the face of this decision, the president will postpone his trip to the U.S. planned for this weekend.

Kuczynski said he will respect Congress’s decision and will act in accordance with the law and the constitution.

“It has been an honor to serve the country under the leadership of President Kuczynski. Leading and defending politics for the benefit of all Peruvians,” Zavala said on social media.