Peru's cabinet reshuffle happens this week

Twobreakfasts this morning announced that the current band of ineffective and corrupt puppets that make up his cabinet will be changed this weekend, including the official goodbye for Yehude Simon. Speculation is now underway about who will make up the new cabinet of ineffective and corrupt puppets with "Who gets the PM job?" top of the list of chattering class questions that nobody outside Peru really cares about.

Thus, as Otto would just love to join the chattering classes one of these days, here's a list of possibles with odds and comments by your humble scribe:

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski: Most likely choice right now. PPK has made it clear he's running for Prez in 2011 and the PM job will give him the public radar he needs to launch a campaign. Architect of the economic reforms in the Toledo gov't. Rich and influential and likes reminding people of those two facts. Current odds: Even money.

Rafael Rey: The current Ambassador to Italy, Twobreakfasts met with Rey last weekend for informal talks about.....we don't know (it was off agenda). Not an APRA party member but rightwing leaning and proponent of orthodox economic measures (i.e. status quo in Peru). Member of Opus Dei. Current odds: 3/1 (but quite likely to get a cabinet job).

José Chang: Current Education Minister, APRA lapdog and Twobreakfasts sycophant. About as charismatic as a vanilla blancmange. If Twobreakfasts wants to play it neutral (unlikely) he has a squeak. Current odds: 6/1.

Mercedes Araoz: Current Minister of Foreign Commerce and the point person in the Free Trade Agreements. An honest politico (that rare breed in Peru) and generally liked (perhaps better said is 'not disliked') by both peers and citizens. May be too valuable where she already is. Current odds: 8/1.

Lourdes Flores: Head of the UN party and rightwing fave, Flores might accept if offered to give herself radar before 2011. Twobreakfasts would have to swallow some of the gargantuan pride to put her in a position of power, though. Coming to the end of her shelf life as a presidential candidate. Current odds: 10/1

Javier Silva Ruete: Ex-FinMin and respected figure, but probably ruled out because he's nobody's puppet. The kind of guy that's just too honest to get to the top in PeruPolitik. Current odds 10/1.

Ollanta Humala: More chance of the hole in my tush healing up than this dude getting a job under Twobreakfasts. Current odds: 100/1.

Do what with tourism???????

This one isn't really LatAm, but it is Spanish language, it is politics and it's definitely stuff like that. Spanish PM Zapatero (he of the crummy suits) was speaking at a press conference today after meeting Russian President Medvedev. The issue in question was bilateral tourism and Zapatero said

"We have made an agreement to stimulate, to benefit, to f**k, to help this tourism."

Don't believe me? Ok, here's the Youtube.

The exact words are (in the last 10 seconds of this 27 second video):

"Hemos hecho un acuerdo para estimular, para favorecer, para follar para apoyar ese turismo."

For those who suffer under the Castilian challenge, the offending word is "follar" (pron: fo' yar). Sure it's a blooper, but it's a damn good one. Just a pity the new US Prez is such a good speaker. Will we begin to miss those dubyaisms after a while?

Thanks for the headsup, UL.

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.

Peru: Yehude Simon is new cabinet chief

Nice tie, Yehude

Yep, you did hear it here first, folks. As reported by Otto last night at 10:30pm, Yehude Simon has just confirmed at a press conference that he is the new Cabinet Chief in the Twobreakfasts administration.

Wanna know how Otto knew 12 hours before the rest of the English-speaking world? Not telling yas!