Peru Congress Ousts Interior Minister

LIMA, Peru - Lawmakers ousted Peru's interior minister Wednesday night after criticizing him for mishandling a protest by thousands of highland Indians that led to the killing of a mayor last week.



The Congress voted 62-39 to force out Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi, who runs the national police force. Peruvian law allows the unicameral legislature to force a Cabinet minister's resignation with a simple majority vote.


The dismissal of Rospigliosi was seen as a blow to struggling President Alejandro Toledo, whose approval rating is around 8 percent in recent polls.


Opposition lawmakers blamed Rospigliosi for not sending police fast enough to Ilave, a town near Lake Titicaca, to end several weeks of protest.


"The problem isn't Fernando Rospigliosi, the problem is Alejandro Toledo," opposition Congressman Rafael Rey said after the vote
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