PARTIALLY RESHUFFLED CABINET SWORN IN

UNCLAS LIMA 001002 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PTER PE SUBJECT: PARTIALLY RESHUFFLED CABINET SWORN IN REF: LIMA 810 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. After several weeks of anticipation, President Garcia swore in a partially renovated Cabinet of Ministers last Saturday. Outgoing President of Congress, APRA Congressman Javier Velasquez Quesquen, replaces Yehude Simon as the Prime Minister. Six other new ministers take over key Cabinet positions, while ten ministers remain in the Cabinet. End Summary. Cabinet Retains Political Balance -------------- ¶2. (SBU) After weeks of anticipation and much speculation on a new Cabinet following the violent events in Bagua (reftel), President Alan Garcia swore in a partially renovated Cabinet of Ministers on July 11. He charged the Cabinet with two priorities: order and social inclusion. ¶3. (SBU) Following Garcia's announcement last week that the Cabinet would be reshuffled, there has been much speculation on which ministers would be replaced - particularly who would replace outgoing Prime Minister Yehude Simon. Garcia tapped APRA Congressman Javier Velasquez Quesquen for PM. Velazquez Quesquen was set to end his 2008-2009 period as President of Congress at the end of July. The first vice president of Congress, Fujimorista Alejandro Aguinaga, will fill in as President of Congress during the recess until leadership elections are held on July 26. ¶4. (SBU) Two other Apristas joined the Cabinet: Adolfo de Cordoba at Agriculture, and Congressman Aurelio Pastor at Justice, maintaining the same balance of APRA and non-APRA figures in the Cabinet. ¶5. (SBU) Opposition figure Rafael Rey, founder of the National Renovation party, returns from his ambassadorship in Italy to take over at Defense. Martin Perez, Congressman for the opposition National Unity (UN) bloc, replaced the popular Mercedes Araoz at Foreign Trade and Tourism. Araoz became the new Minister of Production. Octavio Salazar, director of the National Police in 2007-2008, is the new Interior Minister. Manuela Garcia comes from within the Ministry of Labor to be the new head there. ¶6. (SBU) Nine ministers remain in their posts, including: Nidia Vilchez at the Ministry of Women and Social Development; Antonio Brack at Environment; Luis Carranza at Economy and Finance; Jose Antonio Chang at Education; Pedro Sanchez at Energy and Mining; Jose Garcia Belaunde at Foreign Affairs; Oscar Ugarte at Health; Enrique Cornejo at Transportation and Communications; and Francis Allison at Housing. Analysis of new Cabinet will follow septel. MCKINLEY