Peru’s president reshuffles cabinet in shift towards centre

Pedro Castillo makes seven changes and ousts Marxist prime minister after taking office at the end of July.

Peru’s leftwing president Pedro Castillo announced a significant cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, ousting his divisive prime minister Guido Bellido and distancing himself from the Marxist party that helped to put him into power.

In his boldest move since he took office in late July, Castillo replaced Bellido with Mirtha Vásquez, a young former congresswoman and moderate leftist who does not belong to the Marxist Free Perú party. The president made six other changes, including in the all-important mining ministry, where he appointed businessman Eduardo González.