Only in Peru can 16 ministers get sacked.......

.........and then 10 of them get called back to their posts a week later (well, their "resignations were accepted", but under the circumstances there's little difference). Right now in the Presidential Palace the


swearing in ceremony is under way, and here's the list that now makes up Peru's ministerial cabinet. First, the new faces:

• Interior: Remigio Hernani Meloni (ex-head of the criminal investigations department)

• Energy and Mines: Pedro Sánchez Gamarra (ex Prez of ElectroPeru amongt other posts, definite free market advocate)

• Women and Social Development: Carmen Vildoso Chirinos (ex-Vice minister of promotion and employment in the Toledo gov't)

• Health: Óscar Ugarte Ubillús (ex Vice-minister of health in the Toledo gov't and close ally of Yehude Simon)

• Production: Elena Conterno Martinelli (economist, master degree at Harvard, has been working in various government bodies such as MiVivienda and Foncodes)

• Agriculture: Carlos Leyton Muñoz (actual Vice President of the Arequipa region, sociologist, long background in rural matters, Peruvian old-school landed gentry family background)

Now the faces that have been given their jobs back:

• Exterior Relations (Chancellor): José García Belaunde
• Exterior Commence: Mercedes Aráoz Fernández
• Economy: Luis Valdivieso
• Justice: Rosario Fernández
• Environment: Antonio Brack
• Transport and Communications: Verónica Zavala
• Defence: Ántero Flores Aráoz
• Education: Antonio Chang
• Employment: Jorge Villasante
• Housing: Enrique Cornejo

Or in other words, one week ago a band of untrusted ministers were forced to hand in their resignations and their President was forced by popular demand to accept them. Now he ignores his public yet again and gives 10 of the 16 their jobs back. Of the other six, perhaps three are what can be truly called new faces.

Or in other words to the other words; just another round of Peruvian bullshit politics that will change precisely nothing until Yehude Simon gets some real power (and that's if he lasts that long with so few allies around the table).

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Things still very tight-lipped about the new Peru Cabinet

Twobreakfasts unveils his new honesty image,
complete with bespoke uniform

I was in two minds to write this post, as we're all going to find out this evening anyway at the swearing in ceremony, but here we go:

So far nine of the 16 ministers have been pencilled in. Along with the names given yesterday, two more current ministers are likely to retain their posts (the mediocre Chang at education has been ratified). The only "new" name is a dude named Ugarte in the Health Ministry. He's Yehude Simon's political pal and an ex Veep Health Minister in the Toledo gov't. The striking doctors have welcomed the choice, so all is well there. The others jobs are still being kept very quiet, with total lockdown on my inside info sources. So be it.

As for blogfriend Susana Villarán, jungle drums say she kinda refused the Ministry of Women job (though not out of hand) saying that she's been there and done that already and a new face might be a better choice. I'd like to see her accept the position, personally. She knows what is needed, and she's as honest as they come. She's also an outspoken Twobreakfasts critic. Vamos a ver........

The other thing to report is that word says Alan has chosen 8 people and Simon the other 8.....signs of compromise gov't or splitting things down the middle already? You be the judge!

Perou, et la plus ça change..........

Word from Lima's halls of power is that the new cabinet of ministers will be sworn in tomorrow, and up to six of the old ministers are likely to keep their jobs....so much for all that new-broom-massive-swing-to-the-left talk, eh? Let's have a look at who's staying:

Economy: Luis Valdivieso. There was a chance that PPK took over here, but as Valdivieso 1) is fairly new in the post, 2) ex-IMF, following policies directly handed down to him by PPK via Carranza, and 3) Simon surely doesn't have a better alternative, then Luis stays. This one has been confirmed, by the way....neolib econ policies continue business as usual etc etc

Foreign Commerce: Mercedes Aráoz. She's done a fairly good job, has to be said. Also with the FTA about to be fully implemented there aren't that many people in Peru who have read the whole document more than once, so keeping Mercedes here is probably a time-saver. This one is confirmed

Foreign Relations: José García Belaunde. Belaunde is one of those old-school criollo Lima establishment family members that gets respect from place like Chile. Not a bad guy....Otto has no problem about him staying. This one is confirmed.

Now for three other that are likely (though not yet confirmed) to keep their jobs:

Employment: Jorge Villasante. It's a figurehead job anyway (all job creation comes from the FinMin policies, and the ministry of production overlaps on this portfolio, too) and the guy is no charisma-bearer, either. If confirmed, this one shows that Yehude Simon isn't getting a free hand over ministerial picks.

Environment: Antonio Brack Egg. This dude must stay because 1) he's respected by all sides of the issue 2) he's actually been doing some work since getting his job and 3) there's nobody else in Peru with a resume to match.

Justice: Rosario Fernández. This is probably because President Twobreakfasts doesn't want to be indicted at the end of his mandate. Either that or he's jealous about the number of Fernández's in ministerial jobs over in Argentina and wants one for himself.

So at the moment of the 16 ministerial positions there are three jobs confirmed, three jobs likely filled and ten unknowns. As for those 10 spots, things are very tight-lipped right now (the vacancies include the key interior ministry, education, too). However be assured that your snoopy Otto will dig out the juice as soon as possible......or if not we all find out together at the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.