Economist Hernando de Soto has announced he will release a log of phone calls from César Acuña, the presidential candidate for Alianza para el Progreso (APP), following the restructuring of Peru’s cabinet and his own exclusion from the position of Prime Minister.
De Soto stated that the calls occurred after he was nominated for the position of President of the Council of Ministers (PCM), a role he ultimately did not assume. He intends to publish the call log to “disidentify himself without accusing anyone,” according to reports from Diario Correo and Infobae.
The move comes after Denisse Miralles was sworn in as the new head of the cabinet, a decision De Soto characterized as the result of a “takeover” of President José María Balcázar. In an interview with El Comercio, De Soto claimed that Acuña contacted him “a couple of dozens” of times, estimating between 10 and 20 calls, after his nomination for the PCM. De Soto did not answer those calls, stating he has a good relationship with Acuña and sees him only once or twice a year.
De Soto likewise revealed that he presented President Balcázar with a list of seven professionals and international advisors during a three-hour meeting, but none were included in the final cabinet lineup. He described the situation as a “sum of interests” influencing the cabinet’s composition, as reported by Infobae.
The appointment of Miralles has prompted questions regarding political affiliations. Miralles herself has rejected suggestions that the cabinet represents a political quota system, asserting she has never been affiliated with a political party, according to Canal N.
De Soto had previously indicated he would not grant a vote of confidence to Miralles’ cabinet, stating it was a result of President Balcázar being “held hostage,” as reported by El Comercio. He also stated he did not aim for to be a “figurehead” for a cabinet that would include a broad range of political interests.
