In a dramatic last-minute twist that highlights Peru’s political instability, President Jose María Balcazar swore in economist Denis Miralles as prime minister on Tuesday. This despite the fact that it was officially announced a few days ago that the position would go to former presidential candidate Hernando de Soto.
The sudden change unfolded just hours after De Soto said he had finalized presidential and cabinet preparations over breakfast at his home in Lima.
surprise swear words
Mirales, who served as Minister of Economy and Finance under former Interim President Jose Jerry, was inaugurated as Chairman of the Council of Ministers on February 24.
The move comes amid growing speculation about internal disagreements between Balcazar and de Soto over the composition of the new cabinet.
In an official statement released the same day, the Presidency said the transitional government’s priority is “ensuring a democratic, transparent and orderly electoral process.” The statement reaffirmed that the cabinet was formed according to “technical criteria, political responsibility and democratic commitment”.
A separate thank you letter thanked Soto for presenting “a valuable and ambitious government plan” but said “the short and transitional nature of his constitutionally mandated term made it impossible to reach the agreements necessary to make it happen.”
“I found out about it on television.”
But De Soto paints a very different picture.
In an interview with Willax TV on February 24, he said he only found out about his dismissal after watching the swearing-in ceremony on television.
“I found out about it on TV,” De Soto said. “The president never called again.”
According to de Soto, he met with Balcazar at his home that same morning from approximately 8 to 10:30 a.m., where they reviewed proposed ministerial changes and mechanisms to strengthen election oversight during the five-month transition period.
“We have reviewed all the documents, not only the changes in ministers, but also the groups (Peruvian and foreign experts) that can verify the electoral process,” he said.
He claims to have laid out a set of goals to clean up the ministry, which is said to have been influenced by organized crime, illegal mining and opaque economic interests.
political pressure behind the scenes
The episode exposed tensions within Peru’s divided political class.
Balcazar, who belongs to the Marxist party Perú Libre, became interim president after Congress dismissed Gerry. De Soto is internationally known for his pro-market views and writings. another wayIt would have represented a sharp ideological counterweight within the left-dominated regime.
Perú Libre founder Vladimir Cerrón criticized De Soto’s possible appointment on social media, describing him as a neoliberal theorist who would “pacify the oligarchy” but undermine public support.
When asked whether Cerrón influenced the reversal, de Soto suggested that several forces had come together to block his proposed reforms.
“There are enormous hidden forces between certain corporate sectors and the Marxist-Leninist sector,” he said. “They are united within Congress and are controlling the electoral process.”
Continuity instead of overhaul
The newly inaugurated cabinet includes several remaining positions from Jerí’s government. The presidency defended the decision as a balance between ‘renewal and experience’.
De Soto said he agreed that not all ministers could be replaced immediately, given the limited terms and the difficulty of recruiting independent technocrats willing to serve during a brief and politically unstable transition.
election in question
Peru is scheduled to hold general elections in April, and a transitional government will oversee them.
De Soto warned that repeating past election dynamics without structural reforms could lead to deepening instability.
“Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” “We are going into another election blindfolded.”
For international observers, the episode reinforces awareness of the fragility of a country that has had eight presidents in the past decade. Although the presidency insists its stability remains intact, the public unraveling of a prime ministerial appointment, confirmed privately in the morning and publicly revoked in the evening, highlights how administrative decisions in Peru can change within hours.
Featured Image: Denis Miralles, Peru’s new Prime Minister
Image source: Andina Agency
