Peru’s prime minister resigns after three weeks in office

By Marco Aquino

LIMA, March 17 (Reuters) – Peruvian Prime Minister Denisse Miralles has resigned, the president’s office said on Tuesday, just three weeks after she took office and less than a month before the country holds general elections. 

Miralles’ exit is the latest in Peru’s revolving door of top officials. She was tapped for the job on February 24 shortly after President Jose Balcazar took office as the Andean nation’s eighth president in as many years.

Balcazar’s office did not give a reason for Miralles’ departure.

But local news outlets reported that Miralles lacked support in the legislature ahead of an expected routine vote on Wednesday to confirm her in her role.

Under Peruvian law, the resignation of the prime minister — who serves as the head of the cabinet — requires all 18 other ministers to step down.

Balcazar now has the choice to reinstate each cabinet member or swap them out for a new minister.

General elections are slated to take place in Peru on April 12.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle, Editing by Natalia Siniawski and Rosalba O’Brien)