Peru's Humala names fifth PM, keeps finance minister in cabinet shuffle

25/02/2014 - 2:52

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's President Ollanta Humala named his housing minister as his fifth prime minister on Monday in a cabinet shuffle that reappointed his widely respected finance but replaced his energy and mines minister.

Finance Minister Luis Miguel Castilla had tendered his resignation to Humala - three government sources said earlier on Monday - following a dispute with outgoing cabinet chief Cesar Villanueva over a potential increase to the minimum wage.

Humala replaced Energy and Mines minister Jorge Merino with Eleodoro Mayorga Alba, a former petroleum economist at the World Bank, in a televised ceremony.

Humala chose Housing Minister Rene Cornejo, the former head of the state investment promotion agency Proinversion, to lead his new cabinet.

Cornejo had served as housing minister since the beginning of Humala's presidency in 2011.

(Reporting by Lima Newsroom; Editing by Eric Walsh)