Peruvian President appoints former Economy Minister, Mercedes Aráoz Fernández, as new PM

The Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on 18 September 2017 appointed a former Economy Minister Mercedes Aráoz Fernández as his new Prime Minister. The appointment came two days after a no-confidence vote by the opposition-led Congress forced the entire Cabinet to resign

Mercedes Araoz, who is also a lawmaker and one of Peru's two Vice Presidents, is the new Chief Minister in a reconstituted Cabinet. She served as an economy minister during part of the 2006-11 administration of President Alan Garcia.

Araoz replaced Fernando Zavala, who lost the vote of confidence by lawmakers on 15 September 2017. The single-house congress is led by the opposition party of Keiko Fujimori, who is the daughter of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori and loser of a close 2016 presidential runoff election to Kuczynski. It was the first time under Peru's 1993 constitution that the legislature has taken such a step.

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All 19 ministers in the previous Cabinet were forced to resign under Peru's constitution because of the no-confidence vote. Kuczynski reappointed six of the 19 ministers in the previous Cabinet.

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About Mercedes Aráoz Fernández

• Born on 5 August 1961 in Lima, Mercedes Aráoz Fernández is a Peruvian economist, professor, politician and the current Second Vice President of Peru.

• She served as Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism from 2006 to July 2009.

• In April 2016, Aráoz was elected as Congresswoman for 2016–2021.

• In June 2016, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was elected as President of Peru and Aráoz as the second vice president.