Peru’s Prime Minister reversal: Denisse Miralles sworn in after Hernando de Soto is sidelined
In a dramatic last-minute reversal that underscores Peru’s political instability, President José María Balcázar swore in economist Denisse Miralles as prime minister on Tuesday, despite having officially announced days earlier that the position would go to former presidential candidate Hernando de Soto.
The abrupt shift unfolded just hours after de Soto said he had finalized cabinet arrangements with the president over breakfast at his home in Lima.
A surprise swearing-In
Miralles, who served as Minister of Economy and Finance under former transitional president José Jerí, was sworn in as head of the Council of Ministers on February 24.
The move came amid mounting speculation about internal disagreements between Balcázar and de Soto regarding the composition of the new cabinet.
In an official statement released the same day, the Presidency said the transitional government’s priority is to “guarantee a democratic, transparent and orderly electoral process”. The statement reaffirmed that the cabinet was formed under “technical criteria, political responsibility and democratic commitment”.
A separate note of appreciation thanked de Soto for presenting a “valuable and ambitious government plan”, but stated that “it was not possible to reach the necessary consensus to materialize it due to the brief and transitional nature of the constitutionally mandated term”.
“I found out on television”
De Soto, however, paints a very different picture.
In a February 24 interview on Willax TV, he said he learned of his removal only by watching the swearing-in ceremony on television.
“I found out on TV,” de Soto said. “The president never called again”.
According to de Soto, he had met with Balcázar that same morning from approximately 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. at his home, where they reviewed proposed ministerial changes and mechanisms to strengthen electoral oversight during the five-month transition.
“We reviewed all the documents. Not only the change of ministers but also groups —Peruvian and foreign experts— who could verify the electoral process”, he said.
He insists he presented a set of objectives aimed at cleaning up ministries allegedly influenced by organized crime, illegal mining and opaque economic interests.
Political pressures behind the scenes
The episode has exposed tensions within Peru’s fragmented political class.
Balcázar, who belongs to the Marxist party Perú Libre, became interim president after Congress removed Jerí. De Soto, internationally known for his pro-market views and his book The Other Path, would have represented a sharp ideological counterweight within a left-led administration.
On social media, Perú Libre founder Vladimir Cerrón criticized the potential appointment of de Soto, describing him as a neoliberal theorist whose designation would “calm the oligarchy” but weaken popular backing.
Asked whether Cerrón influenced the reversal, de Soto suggested that multiple forces converged to block the reform he proposed.
“There is tremendous hidden power between certain business sectors and Marxist-Leninist sectors”, he said. “They have combined within Congress and are controlling the electoral process”.
Continuity instead of overhaul
The newly sworn-in cabinet includes several holdovers from Jerí’s government. The presidency defended the decision as a balance between “renewal and experience.”
De Soto said he had agreed that not all ministers could be replaced immediately, given the limited timeframe and the difficulty of recruiting independent technocrats willing to serve in a short and politically volatile transition.
Elections in question
Peru is scheduled to hold general elections in April, with the transitional government tasked with overseeing the process.
De Soto warned that repeating past electoral dynamics without structural reforms could deepen instability.
“Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”, he said. “We are entering another election with our eyes covered”.
For international observers, the episode reinforces the perception of fragility in a country that has had eight presidents in a decade. While the presidency insists that stability remains intact, the public unraveling of a prime ministerial appointment —confirmed privately in the morning and reversed publicly by evening— highlights how executive decisions in Peru can shift within hours.
Featured image: Denisse Miralles, Peru’s new primer minister
Image credit: Agencia Andina
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المصدر: Peru Reports