Lima, Peru — Peru’s prime minister resigned on Tuesday ahead of a mandatory vote in the nation’s Congress, where a majority of lawmakers is needed to confirm his latest appointment.
In late February, Denis Miralles was appointed prime minister, with interim president José Jéry removed from his position following corruption allegations and Congressman José María Balcazar.
In Peru, prime ministers coordinate the implementation of government policies, but they are not elected to office and do not lead the executive branch headed by the president.
Miralles, a former economy minister under Jeri, did not say why he resigned. However, he told reporters on Wednesday that it was uncertain whether he would secure the congressional majority needed for his confirmation.
The Fiscal Council, an independent body that oversees public finances, recently found that the ministry under Miralles had allowed Congress to pass 26 laws without challenge that significantly increased government spending.
Peru is set to hold presidential elections on April 12, with more than two dozen candidates running.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held in June between the top two contestants.
Peru has seen eight presidents in the past decade, with several heads of state removed by Congress after allegations of corruption. Despite the president’s revolving door, Peru’s economy has remained stable over the past decade, with governments sticking to traditional economic policies that include modest fiscal spending, while international companies have been encouraged to invest in sectors such as mining and infrastructure.
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(tags to translate)corruption
