Peru’s Castillo confirms Guido Bellido’s resignation as Prime Minister

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Peruvian Prime Minister Pedro Castillo confirmed this afternoon the resignation of Prime Minister Guido Bellido and announced that the new Cabinet would be sworn in at 8 p.m. local time.

“I communicate that we accept the resignation of the President of the Council of Ministers, whom I thank for the services rendered, and I announce the swearing-in of the new Cabinet for tonight,” Castillo said after calling for unity.

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“Both the vote of confidence and the interpolation and vote of no confidence should not be used to create political instability,” he said.

This morning, the meeting of the Council of Ministers was interrupted barely half an hour after it began. The reasons for this measure were not disclosed.

Economy Minister Pedro Francke indicated to the media that it was due to “internal organizational” problems.

For his part, Health Minister Hernando Cevallos said he had “no explanation as to why the measure was postponed.”

“I have the impression that the Prime Minister wanted to discuss something urgently with the President and asked to postpone the meeting of the Council of Ministers, and so it was. We are waiting for the conclusion of this meeting, this conversation with the President so that we can be reconvened,” Cevallos explained in an interview with RPP.

The message to the nation comes when a motion of censure is being prepared in Congress against Labor Secretary Íber Maraví, who is being questioned for his alleged ties to subversive groups.

In addition, a press conference by Cabinet Chief Guido Bellido is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the PCM headquarters.