Peru's newest president, Dina Boluarte on Saturday swore in her cabinet that includes a market-friendly finance minister, just three days after becoming the country's first female head of state, as protests accelerated around the country to demand fresh elections following the ouster of former President Pedro Castillo.
Boluarte took office on Wednesday after Castillo was sacked by Congress and later arrested for rebellion and conspiracy for having attempted to dissolve the legislature to prevent an impeachment vote.
She named former Deputy Finance Minister Alex Contreras, who is a career civil servant and is considered to have a pro-market stance, to serve as economy minister.
Chemical engineer Oscar Vera will serve as energy and mines minister, a key post for the copper-producing country.
She also named former state prosecutor Pedro Angulo as prime minister and diplomat Ana Cecilia Gervasi as foreign minister.
Boluarte, a 60-year-old lawyer, was Castillo's vice president. She became the country's first woman president and will remain in office until 2026 if no new elections are called.
Protesters are now demanding that the country hold a vote rather than allowing her to finish Castillo's term, and are also demanding that a new constitution be drafted.
Local television images showed demonstrations in some cities and a blockade on a section of the main highway along the Peruvian coast around 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of the capital Lima.
Some transportation agencies reported that they were limiting services to protect passengers.
Boluarte on Saturday wrote on Twitter that a clash on Friday night between protesters and security forces injured eight people, four of whom were police officers, adding that seven people were arrested.
"Respect, dialogue and tolerance are essential in a democracy," she wrote.
Boluarte on Friday said she was willing to discuss early elections, but ruled out kick-starting constitutional changes for the time being.
