Peru’s Prime Minister Denisse Miralles resigns, forcing the entire cabinet to step down just before a critical congressional confidence vote

LIMA: Peru’s Prime Minister Denisse Miralles resigned on Tuesday, just three weeks into her tenure.

Her departure, which came a day before a scheduled confidence vote in Congress, forces the entire 18-member cabinet appointed by President Jose Maria Balcazar to also step down.

Miralles did not specify a reason for her resignation in her letter to the president.

She wrote, “In response to the request that…you were so kind to make for me…I hereby tender my effective resignation.”

Peruvian law requires new cabinet leaders to pass a congressional confidence vote within their first month in office.

Failure to pass the vote mandates the resignation of the prime minister and all appointed ministers.

Local press reports indicated leftist President Balcazar’s cabinet picks were unlikely to be approved by the right-wing opposition-controlled Congress.

Balcazar’s office thanked Miralles for her service in a statement published on social media.

The 83-year-old president will govern until July 28, when he will be replaced by the winner of the April 12 elections.

He is Peru’s eighth head of state in the past decade.

Miralles, 49, previously served as economy minister under Balcazar’s impeached predecessor, Jose Jeri.

 The Sun Malaysia