Peru's interim president appoints prime minister

Peru's new interim president Jose Maria Balcazar appointed a prime minister Tuesday, selecting economist Denisse Miralles despite saying days earlier he would name former presidential candidate Hernando de Soto to the post. Miralles, 49, served as economy minister under Balcazar's ousted predecessor Jose Jeri and was sworn into office at the Government Palace in the capital Lima. Six other ministers from the previous government were confirmed to their posts as well.

"The country requires firm economic management, a head-on fight against organized crime and the preservation of the stability that Peru needs," the president's office said in a statement. The appointment of Miralles came as a surprise, even to liberal economist de Soto, who said earlier Tuesday that he would take office as prime minister as expected. Other appointments include Hugo de Zela as foreign minister, Gerardo Lopez as economic minister and Hugo Begazo as interior minister.

Of the 19 ministries, five will be headed by women. Balcazar will govern until July 28, when he is replaced by the winner of the April 12 elections. Over the next six days, Peru's 36 presidential candidates will take part in a series of televised debates, the electoral authority announced Tuesday. The unprecedented format is meant to accommodate a record number of contenders, and reflects the strong fragmentation of the Andean country's political landscape.

The debates will be devoted to discussion of security amid Peru's crime wave, corruption, education and employment. Peru has experienced chronic political instability since 2016, and has had eight heads of state in the decade since. More than 27 million voters will be eligible to cast a ballot April 12, for the president as well as 130 deputies and 60 senators. If no presidential candidate wins 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election in June will pit the top two candidates against each other.