Peru’s prime minister resigns ahead of congressional confirmation vote

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s prime minister resigned Tuesday ahead of a mandatory vote in the nation’s Congress, where she needed a majority of legislators to confirm her recent appointment.

Denisse Miralles was appointed as prime minister in late February, after Interim President José Jerí was removed from his post following corruption allegations and replaced by congressman Jose María Balcázar.

In Peru, prime ministers coordinate the implementation of government policies, but they are not elected into office and do not lead the executive branch, which is headed by the president.

Miralles, the former economy minister under Jerí, did not say why she resigned. However, she informed journalists that she was uncertain she could secure the congressional majority required for her confirmation on Wednesday.

The Fiscal Council, an independent body monitoring public finances, noted recently that the ministry under Miralles allowed 26 laws from Congress to pass without challenge, resulting in significantly higher government spending.

Peru is set to hold presidential elections on April 12, in which more than two dozen candidates will participate.

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If no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes, there will be a runoff in June between the top two contenders.

Peru has seen eight presidents in the past decade, with several heads of state removed by Congress after corruption allegations. Despite the revolving door of presidents, Peru’s economy has been stable over the past decade, with governments sticking to orthodox economic policies that include modest fiscal spending, while international companies have been encouraged to invest in areas like mining and infrastructure.

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