PanamaTimes

Friday, Apr 26, 2024

Peru’s prime minister to step down after allegations of domestic violence

Peru’s prime minister to step down after allegations of domestic violence

Héctor Valer confirms resignation just four days after being named for the post
The Peruvian prime minister Héctor Valer confirmed on Saturday that he will step down just four days after being named for the post, after allegations that he beat his daughter and late wife.

On Friday, President Pedro Castillo said he would reshuffle the cabinet again, after just three days, amid widespread condemnation of his appointment of Valer as prime minister.

On Saturday there was no sign of when the reshuffle may take place. Castillo must name his fourth cabinet in just six months in office, as Peru teeters on the brink of a leadership vacuum and there are calls for the former rural primary school teacher to resign.

Using combative language, Valer accused the political right of forcing his resignation based on false accusations of domestic violence.

“The complaints against me are based on lies,” he said, visibly angered. “I have come to leave a drop of blood to support the construction of this government.”

Hours after Valer’s appointment on Tuesday, police reports emerged from 2016 in which his daughter and late wife accuse him of gender violence.

One complaint filed by his 29-year-old daughter which was seen by the Guardian detailed that he “slapped, punched and kicked her in the face” as well as pulled her hair. Valer has denied the allegations and said the reports were fake.

Under the Peruvian constitution, when the prime minister steps down the entire cabinet must follow suit until a replacement is nominated and a new ministerial team is chosen.

Women’s rights groups protested against Valer’s appointment, and three fellow ministers also called for him to step down. The ultra-conservative Valer – who opposes sex education and has a history of sexist remarks – entered as a lawmaker with a far-right party before switching to a party that supported Castillo.

Castillo, a member of a Marxist-Leninist party Perú Libre, has moved increasingly to the right since taking office last July.

Though nominally leftist, he expressed socially conservative views opposing LGBTQ rights, legal abortion and sex education which differed little from those of his far-right opponents, before taking office.

Suspicions about his leftist credentials were further fanned when he was photographed laughing and smiling with far-right Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who at one point put on Castillo’s trademark wide-brimmed hat, at a bilateral meeting on Thursday.

In a national address on Friday, Castillo accused congress and his former ministers of “feeding instability and political uncertainty” but made no mention of the accusations against Valer.

However, analysts point to a crisis of leadership for the president who has never before held public office.

“Pedro Castillo’s presence in the government is the main problem,” said Fernando Tuesta, a political science professor at Lima’s Pontifical Catholic University.
Comments

mike 2 year ago
So beats his and daughter.
Surely he is a good christian and just following his bible.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×