Peru swears in new government

Peru swears in new government
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

LIMA, NOV 26: A new cabinet designed to steer Peru through a period of uncertainty created by the surprise resignation of President Alberto Fujimori, has been sworn in with the blessings of all major political parties.

The 13-member cabinet, sworn in yesterday and headed by former UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, was portrayed as "a group of technocrats" acceptable to all sectors of Peruvian society who will lead the country until new presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for next April.

Prime Minister Perez de Cuellar, 80, will also serve as foreign minister. He returned to Peru earlier this week after living in France since losing the 1995 presidential election to Fujimori.

The powerful post of defence minister went to Gen Walter Ladesma Rebaza, while Gen Antonio Ketin Vida Herrera became interior minister.

Both are known as strict professionals who keep their political views to themselves. The economics post went to Javier Silva Ruete, who held that same job under a military regime that ruled Peru in the late 1970s.

Overall, the new cabinet combined personalities who served under Fujimori, former president Fernando Belaunde (1980-1985) and various military regimes that preceded him.

The government is the product of intense political consultations between Perez de Cuellar, newly appointed interim President Valentin Paniagua and leaders of major political parties.