Peru: Interior Minister Resigns Amid 'Halloween Party' Scandal

On Tuesday, Peru’s Interior Minister Luis Barranzuela resigned after reports that he held a Halloween party at his home in violation of COVID-19 restrictions.

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He claims that it was not a social event but rather an official meeting in which several authorities addressed political and law enforcement issues. Energy and Mines Minister Eduardo Gonzalez also participated in the meeting virtually, according to Barranzuela.

After announcing the acceptance of Barranzuela's resignation, President Pedro Castillo emphasized that his administration is committed to the governance of the country. He also mentioned that the name of the new Interior Minister will be announced in the coming hours.

Since his election a month ago, Barranzuela has been the target of the right-wing opposition. Lawmakers and news media attacked him for his record as a police officer and his clashes with other public authorities such as Fidel Pintado, the chairman of the National Comision for the Development of a Life without Drugs (DEVIDA).

So far, the Peruvian Congress has not approved Castillo’s new cabinet. This deliberate procrastination has prompted a tense situation since that political maneuver puts the president's permanence in power at risk.

In the past months, Congress enacted a law that strips constitutional powers away from the Executive branch and allows lawmakers to refuse to confirm the appointments indefinitely.
Castillo’s administration has started a legal process in the Constitutional Court against this law.

On Thursday, Congress will return to its routine sessions and is expected to discuss the approval of the cabinet. Several lawmakers had stated that they would vote against the cabinet unless Barranzuela was dismissed.