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The president of Peru accepted the resignation of his hitherto Interior Minister Avelino Guillén after the controversy unleashed by the process of assigning high-ranking police officers, an issue questioned by the politician who called for the resignation of Police Chief Javier Gallardo, who was removed from office by order of Castillo.
The ownership of the Ministry of the Interior in Peru is vacant for the fourth time in just six months of the Government of Pedro Castillo.
The Peruvian head of state finally accepted the minister’s resignation Avelino Guillen, who submitted his resignation last Friday, January 28.
Guillén expressed his desire to leave office in protest at a series of appointments, dismissals, and promotions to senior positions within the National Police. A situation for which he publicly requested the resignation of the institution’s leader, the commanding general Xavier Gallardo.
The disagreements on this matter between Guillén and Gallardo unleashed several weeks of controversies in which President Pedro Castillo was splashed, since Congress accused the president of allegedly pressing for the questionable changes within the Police.
The president was strongly questioned by several legislators, who considered that he had not defined whether he supported his minister or the police chief.
Now, Castillo reports that he accepts the resignation of his Minister of the Interior and also removes the director of the police institution from his duties.
“As Head of State, I have decided to terminate the appointment of the Commander General of the Police, Javier Gallardo Mendoza. Likewise, I accept the resignation of the Minister of the Interior, Avelino Guillén, whom I thank for the services provided to the Nation,” Castillo announced through his Twitter account.
As head of state, I have decided to terminate the appointment of the commanding general of the @PolicePeruJavier Gallardo Mendoza. Likewise, I accept the resignation of the Minister of the Interior, Avelino Guillén, whom I thank for the services rendered to the Nation.
– Pedro Castillo Terrones (@PedroCastilloTe) January 31, 2022
Third Minister of the Interior to leave office in six months
Guillén was the third minister to lead the Interior portfolio so far in the current government, so Castillo will have to appoint a fourth official for that position.
The first was Juan Carrasco, now Minister of Defense, and who was questioned for allegedly not leaving his position as prosecutor of the city of Lambayeque before reaching the national cabinet.
Luis Barranzuela then assumed his place, but he remained in that position for less than a month, after the country learned that he violated the sanitary restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic after holding a private party.
With constant changes in his cabinet, the Castillo Administration is still far from bringing tranquility to the nation’s governance as expected by thousands of citizens who elected him in the 2021 presidential elections, in the midst of one of the most convulsive stages in recent history. Peruvian that had five presidents in just four years.
With EFE and local media