Peruvian president shuffles cabinet amid pandemic

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra swore in on Wednesday his new ministerial cabinet, appointing 11 new ministers and naming attorney Pedro Cateriano as the new president of the Council of Ministers.

Cateriano previously held the position from 2015 to 2016 during the government of former president Ollanta Humala.

Though most of the previous cabinet members remained, there were also some significant changes.

Mario Lopez was appointed as the new head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Pilar Mazzetti was appointed as the new Minister of Health, replacing Victor Zamora, who had been leading the country's fight against the novel coronavirus.

Shortly after the cabinet was sworn in, Vizcarra met with his new team and called for their maximum efforts to control the pandemic.

"One of the main axes of government action at this stage continues to be the fight against the pandemic. We will do it with greater effort and renewed energy. Our objective is to contain the disease and strengthen the health system," he stated.

The president also asked the ministers to redouble their efforts so that the nation's economy could begin to recover.

"We will deepen measures to accelerate the recovery of the economy and return Peru to the path of growth," he said.