LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra will name actor and former culture minister Salvador del Solar as his new prime minister on Monday, three sources said.

Salvador del Solar, who was culture minister under disgraced former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for about a year, will be sworn in later on Monday, the sources said. The sources asked not to be named because an announcement had not yet been made. </s> LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra will name actor and former culture minister Salvador del Solar as his new prime minister on Monday, three sources said.

Vizcarra has been looking to shake up his government after his approval rating started to slip in recent weeks.

A trained lawyer, del Solar is best known for his roles in Spanish-language films. He served as culture minister for about a year under former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who resigned in a graft scandal a year ago.

Vizcarra will swear in del Solar and other new cabinet ministers later on Monday, said the sources, who asked not be named because an announcement had not been made.

Local media reported earlier on Monday that Vizcarra had chosen del Solar as his new prime minister.

Vizcarra’s spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Del Solar could not immediately be reached for comment. </s> LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra swore in actor and former Culture Minister Salvador del Solar as his new prime minister on Monday in a cabinet shuffle that may help shore up his slipping approval ratings.

Vizcarra opted to keep Finance Minister Carlos Oliva and Energy and Mines Minister Francisco Ismodes in their posts, but changed eight other ministers, including the production and agriculture ministers.

No major policy changes were expected under del Solar, who has degrees in law and international relations but is best known for his starring roles in Spanish-language films.

Del Solar, 48, served as culture minister for about a year under former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who resigned in a graft scandal a year ago.

Vizcarra, Kuczynski’s former vice president, took office to replace Kuczynski and won broad support for pushing measures aimed at fighting corruption and taking a tougher stance with the opposition-controlled Congress.

But Vizcarra’s approval rating fell seven percentage points to 56 percent this month, according to a Datum Internacional poll last week, after reaching a high of 66 percent in January.

Presidents in Peru often reshuffle their cabinets when their approval ratings fall, though all recent presidents have ended their terms widely unpopular.

Despite occasional bouts of political turmoil, Peru has been one of Latin America’s most stable and fastest-growing economies this century. </s> Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra has sworn in actor and former Culture Minister Salvador del Solar as his new prime minister in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at shoring up his slipping approval ratings.

The move on Monday comes days after former Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva stepped down amid calls for a government shakeup.

Vizcarra chose to keep Finance Minister Carlos Oliva and Energy and Mines Minister Francisco Ismodes in their posts but changed eight other ministers, including the production and agriculture ministers.

Del Solar, 48, has degrees in law and international relations but is best known for his roles in Spanish-language films and television series, including a turn as a priest in Netflix's drugs drama, Narcos.

He served as Peru's culture minister for about a year under former-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who resigned last March amid a region-wide corruption scandal.

Vizcarra, a former vice president, was sworn in as president shortly after.

Peruvian presidents often reshuffle their cabinets when approval ratings fall, though all recent presidents have ended their terms widely unpopular.

Vizcarra's approval rating rose to a high of 66 percent in January after he confronted the opposition-controlled Congress to push for anti-corruption measures, which had passed easily in a national referendum in December.

Corruption is seen as rife in Peru, where the last five former presidents have either been jailed on corruption charges or are currently under investigation for fraud.

Opposition leader Keiko Fujimori is also embroiled in an ongoing corruption investigation.

In February, Vizcarra faced criticism for travelling to Spain and Portugal on a state visit instead of visiting regions affected by flooding and landslides.

His approval rating dropped to 56 percent in March.

Despite bouts of political turmoil, Peru has been one of Latin America's most stable and fastest-growing economies this century. </s> Peruvian Prime Minister Salvador Del Solar speaks to Congress as he asks for the approval to reform political bills in Lima

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's Congress readied itself on Wednesday to take a confidence vote on the government, a vote called by President Martin Vizcarra as part of his effort to pressure lawmakers to pass his anti-graft program.

Debate in the unicameral legislature began on Tuesday and was suspended late at night after more than nine hours of argument. Lawmakers resumed the debate on Wednesday.

If the opposition-controlled Congress votes "no confidence," Vizcarra's cabinet would be dissolved and he could invoke a constitutional measure authorizing him to dissolve Congress and call new legislative elections.

The president's proposals include measures aimed at cleaning up campaign financing and ending parliamentary immunity from prosecution. But his reforms have languished in committee and the opposition has shelved or voted down other proposals. </s> Peru’s President Martin Vizcarra scored an important victory for his government’s tough anti-corruption policies Wednesday by winning a vote of confidence in the opposition-controlled Congress.

Vizcarra — who succeeded disgraced ex-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski a year ago –won by 77 votes to 44 with three abstentions, Congress speaker Daniel Salaverry announced.

Kuczynski stepped down last year following allegations of bribe-taking as part of the continent-wide Odebrecht corruption scandal that has embroiled three other Peruvian former presidents.

Prime Minister Salvador del Solar defended the proposed reforms on Tuesday at the start of a 15-hour confidence debate that resumed Wednesday.

“It is urgent to save democracy from corruption. It is urgent to prevent people who are guilty of criminal offenses from representing us,” he said.

“We have to encourage citizens with a vocation to participate in politics, so that Peruvians can trust the authorities.” </s> LIMA (Reuters) - Peru’s Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva will step down from his position, three government sources told Reuters on Friday, as the country’s President Martín Vizcarra looks to shake up his government and revive falling approval ratings.

Villanueva, in the position since last year and who was also Prime Minister in 2013-2014, has handed in his letter of resignation to the President, the sources added, asking not to be named because the news was not yet public.

Representatives for Villanueva and Vizcarra did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. </s> LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva will step down from his position, three government sources told Reuters on Friday, as the country's President Martín Vizcarra looks to shake up his government and revive falling approval ratings.

Villanueva, in the position since last year and who was also Prime Minister in 2013-2014, has handed in his letter of resignation to the President, the sources added, asking not to be named because the news was not yet public.

Representatives for Villanueva and Vizcarra did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.

Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button. </s> Peru’s Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva has stepped down, the government said on Friday, amid calls for President Martin Vizcarra to shake up his government and revive falling approval ratings. Villanueva, the prime minister for the past year, handed in his letter of resignation to Vizcarra, the president’s office said in a statement, confirming media reports earlier on Friday. The statement did not say the resignation was accepted but said Vizcarra thanked Villanueva for his services.

A new prime minister has not yet been chosen but two government sources who asked not to be named told Reuters that Justice Minister Vicente Zeballos was under consideration for the position.

Vizcarra will likely make several cabinet changes to revamp his team and shore up slipping support, the

 sources said.

A survey by Datum Internacional published in local daily Peru 21 on Thursday found Vizcarra’s approval rating dropped seven percentage points from February to 56 percent.
Actor and former Minister of Culture Salvador del Solar is appointed new Prime Minister of Peru.