LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s new foreign minister will be career diplomat Oscar Maurtua, daily El Comercio reported on Friday, replacing a leftist professor who resigned just weeks into the job over controversial comments he made before taking the role.
Maurtua already served as foreign minister in the early 2000s under centrist President Alejandro Toledo, and will now serve the far-left administration led by Pedro Castillo, a former elementary school teacher.
He reportedly confirmed to El Comercio that he had been appointed foreign minister. Castillo has yet to make a formal announcement but told reporters earlier on Friday that he would name someone to the post later in the day.
Maurtua’s appointment is crucial to Castillo’s political future, as his Cabinet will face a confirmation vote from the opposition-led Congress before the end of the month.
Maurtua replaces Hector Bejar, who resigned under intense pressure because of comments he made before taking the minister job that resurfaced in recent days. He had said last year that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency was partly responsible for the creation of Maoist rebel group Shining Path.
Maurtua has also served as Peruvian ambassador to several countries, including Canada and Thailand.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino and Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Sandra Maler)
