By Marco Aquino
LIMA (Reuters) -Ernesto Alvarez, the former head of Peru’s Constitutional Court, has accepted the position of prime minister and head of the cabinet in President Jose Jeri’s new government, a leader of Alvarez’s party announced on Tuesday.
Jeri was sworn in last week after the abrupt ouster of former President Dina Boluarte, and five days later he has yet to formally announce the make-up of his 19-member cabinet.
Javier Bedoya, the secretary-general of the right-wing Christian Popular Party, told local radio station RPP that Alvarez requested leave from his party membership and notified party leaders of his acceptance of the new roles.
Alvarez, 64, served as a magistrate on the Constitutional Court between 2007 and 2014, and presided over the body in 2012.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jeri said he planned to announce a cabinet in the “coming hours” that would prioritize combating a surge in crime, widely considered Peru’s most pressing challenge.
Boluarte’s removal on grounds of “moral incapacity” occurred amid growing public anger over increased crime.
The anger fueled protests by young people, civil groups, and transport workers, who have been dealing with extortion and the murder of drivers by criminal gangs.
Boluarte left office with approval ratings that stood between 2% and 4%, among the world’s lowest. Her departure means Peru has averaged 1.5 presidents per year since 2018.
An anti-government march planned under Boluarte is set to take place in the capital Lima on Wednesday afternoon.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Brendan O’Boyle and Deepa Babington)
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