LIMA, Oct 20, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – President Martin Vizcarra swore in a
retired police general as Peru’s new interior minister Friday to replace
Mauro Medina, who resigned after a fugitive supreme court judge fled to
Spain.
Carlos Moran took the oath of office in a brief ceremony at the government
headquarters as Vizcarra sought to cap a difficult week for his fledgling
government.
Medina resigned late Wednesday after it emerged that a fugitive supreme
court judge, Cesar Hinostroza — awaiting trial in a cash-for-leniency
scandal embroiling Peru’s judiciary — had slipped out of the country and
fled to Spain.
“This is an embarrassing situation for the country,” his Prime Minister
Cesar Villanueva admitted in a statement to Congress about the judge’s
escape.
Hinostroza was sacked by Congress a fortnight ago and was awaiting trial
for leading a criminal group inside the country’s judiciary.
Vizcarra — who has made fighting corruption his priority since taking
office in March — announced earlier Friday that Spain had placed Hinostroza
in detention and was preparing his extradition.
Moran, the new minister, was a member of a special police unit that
captured the leader of the Shining Path guerrillas in 1992.