Peru foreign minister resigns amid criticism of president's U.S. trip

Peru foreign minister resigns amid criticism of president's U.S. trip

LIMA (Reuters) -Peru's foreign minister resigned on Monday after less than a year, according to a letter seen by Reuters, amid criticism of President Dina Boluarte's trip last week to the United States.

Ana Cecilia Gervasi made no reference to Boluarte's U.S. trip in her resignation letter. However, local media reported that she was facing pressure due to a failure to arrange a formal meeting between Boluarte and President Joe Biden.

Boluarte and Biden had a private conversation on the fringes of the Alliance for Economic Prosperity in the Americas (APEP) summit, the foreign ministry had said.

Congress has now summoned Gervasi to a hearing over why a formal itinerary regarding Boluarte's trip overseas had alluded to a planned bilateral meeting.

"It's regrettable that the government of Boluarte didn't tell the truth to get permission to travel to the U.S.," opposition politician Jose Cueto said on social media platform X.

Gervasi said on X over the weekend that all the information submitted to Congress ahead of the trip had been truthful.

The foreign ministry declined to comment on Gervasi's resignation.

In her letter, Gervasi said she had completed the mandate assigned to her in December 2022 following the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo after he attempted to dissolve Congress.

Gervasi held various positions in government prior to joining Boluarte's cabinet, including deputy foreign minister, and vice minister of foreign trade.

Boluarte, who succeeded leftist Castillo after he was removed from office and arrested on charges of rebellion and conspiracy, has faced waves of violent protests since taking office. Castillo has always maintained his innocence.