More of the same. President Pedro Castillo was sworn in to Betsy Chavez as the new president of the Council of Ministers, replacing Aníbal Torres, who resigned after the Legislative Board of Directors flatly rejected his question of confidence.
In a ceremony that took place shortly after 1:30 pm at the Government Palace, the president led the brief ceremony in which he took office at the head of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
“For respect for the rule of law and the restitution of balance and the separation of powers, I do swear”, was what Chávez Chino pronounced.
Betssy Chávez held the position of Minister of Culture in the Cabinet of Aníbal Torres and, previously, had been censured by Congress while serving as Minister of Labor and Employment Promotion.
The new prime minister, the second woman to hold the position in the Pedro Castillo government after Mirtha Vásquez, is a congresswoman who was elected by Peru Libre and later, after leaving this bench, became a member of Peru Democrático along with other colleagues of his like Guillermo Bermejo.
Replacing Anibal Torres
Pedro Castillo accepted on November 24 the resignation of Aníbal Torres as head of the Ministerial Cabinet, after the Congress of the Republic rejected the question of confidence that he presented days ago before the Plenary.
In his speech, the president indicated that with the resignation of Torres Vásquez, he will proceed to renew his Council of Ministers, the fifth so far in his Government. He also called on Congress to respect the rule of law, democracy and the balance of power.
“After this express refusal of confidence, with the expression of flat rejection and having accepted the resignation of the premier, whom I thank for his concern and work for the country, I will renew the Cabinet,” he said.
He would have favored his partner’s family
The Minister of Culture, Betsy Chavezcould face a sentence of up to eight years in prison if the Public Ministry proves that he used his political power to benefit third parties as a result of a sentimental relationship with his countryman Abel Antonio Sotelo Villa.
The historian Abel Sotelo Córdova – Abel Antonio’s uncle – assured that in Tacna the link between his nephew and the also congressman from Democratic Peru.
“(The report) did not surprise me or the family or close friends or anyone because that was vox populi in Tacna society,” the uncle told Cuarto poder.
