Peru’s new President Boluarte swears in her cabinet amid protests

Peru’s newest president, Dina Boluarte, has sworn in her cabinet on Saturday just three days after becoming the country’s first female head of state following the removal of democratically-elected former President Pedro Castillo in a step that has triggered mass protests.

Boluarte oversaw a ceremony in which 19 ministers - eight of whom are women - took the oath of office at the presidential palace and asked each minister to pledge not to be corrupt while in office.

“Consolidation of democracy, rule of law, balance of powers, governability -- this is the essential line of my government,” Boluarte, who had served as vice-president and minister of development and social inclusion during the 17-month administration of Castillo, said in her first speech.

Boluarte had been negotiating for three days over the formation of her government with conservative parties that dominate congress. Her leftist allies refused to take part after the ouster and arrest of Castillo.

The 60-year-old lawyer has said she will serve out Castillo’s term through July 2026, but protesters who have been blocking roads and burning tires across the country are demanding new elections. Some of those demonstrating in favor of Castillo have called her a “traitor”.

People have marched through the streets of Lima and across Peru demanding Castillo’s release and scheduling new elections.

Antauro Humala, the leader of the Ethnocacerist movement and former Army Major Peruvian, appeared in a press conference and called for elections for a Constituent Assembly.

Protests took a violent turn Saturday in the southern Andean city of Andahuaylas, where police used tear gas to quell thousands of marchers, some of whom used slingshots to repel police.

Also on Saturday, people protesting Castillo’s detention broke the windows of a police station as they tried to storm into the building, according to state media, which showed footage from inside the facility.

Peruvians rally to protest Castillo's ouster as US supports new president

Police in Peru have fired teargas to disperse a protest march in the capital Lima in support of ousted President Pedro Castillo, with the US backing the South American country’s new head of state.

The power struggle in the country has continued as the Andes and its thousands of small farms struggle to survive the worst drought in a half-century. Without rain, farmers can’t plant potatoes, and the dying grass can no longer sustain herds of sheep, alpacas, vicuñas and llamas.

The government also confirmed that in the past week, Peru has seen a fifth wave of Covid-19 infections. The country has recorded about 4.3 million infections and 217,000 deaths since the pandemic began.

Boluarte’s predecessor Castillo was removed from office and arrested on Wednesday for unconstitutionally declaring the temporary closure of Congress, according to several constitutional analysts in the country.

Peru has had six presidents in the last six years, including three in a single week in 2020 when Congress flexed its impeachment powers.

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