César Villanueva Arévalo (born 5 August 1946) is a Peruvian politician[1] who was the prime minister of Peru from April 2018 to March 2019, and previously served as prime minister from October 2013 to February 2014.[2] In 2007, he became governor of the San Martín Region. He was sworn in as prime minister by President Ollanta Humala on 31 October 2013, and is affiliated with centre-left parties.[3] In the 2016 general elections, he was elected congressman representing San Martin under the Alliance for the Progress of Peru of César Acuña.

César Villanueva
Prime Minister of Peru
In office
April 2, 2018 – March 8, 2019
PresidentMartín Vizcarra
Preceded byMercedes Aráoz
Succeeded bySalvador del Solar
In office
October 31, 2013 (2013-10-31) – February 24, 2014
PresidentOllanta Humala
Preceded byJuan Jiménez Mayor
Succeeded byRené Cornejo
Member of Congress
In office
July 26, 2016 (2016-07-26) – September 30, 2019 (2019-09-30)
ConstituencySan Martín
2nd Governor of San Martín
In office
January 1, 2007 (2007-01-01) – October 31, 2013
LieutenantJavier Ocampo Ruiz
Preceded byMax Ramírez García
Succeeded byJavier Ocampo Ruiz
Personal details
Born
César Villanueva Arévalo

(1946-08-05) 5 August 1946 (age 78)
Tarapoto, Peru
Nationality Peruvian
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations
Alliance for Progress (2016-2019)
Alliance for the Progress of Peru (2016)
Alma materFederico Villarreal National
University

Early life

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Villanueva was born on August 5, 1946, in Tarapoto city. He studied administration at the National University Federico Villarreal (UNFV).[citation needed]

Political career

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Governor of San Martín

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In January 2007, he became governor of San Martín after winning the election in November 2006 and was re-elected for a second term in the 2010 regional elections and served until he was appointed prime minister in 2013.[citation needed] During his term as governor, he served as president of the National Assembly of Regional Governments for two terms, between 2008 and 2009 and 2012 and 2013.

Prime Minister of Peru

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First tenure

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He became Prime Minister of Peru on October 31, 2013. On February 24, 2014, he resigned from the position of Premier, after the Minister of Economy Luis Miguel Castilla Rubio denied him on a television program his claim that he had spoken with him about a possible increase in the minimum wage.[4][5] Days before, the first lady Nadine Heredia had also said that the issue of the minimum wage was not on the government's agenda. Faced with this series of denials, the opposition severely criticized the minister, describing me as just a "decorative figure." 7 Years later, before the Congressional Oversight Commission, Villanueva confirmed that he had resigned as a protest against the constant interference of Nadine Heredia in State issues, despite not having any position of public representation.[6]

Second tenure

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He became prime minister for a second time in April 2018, under President Martín Vizcarra. He presented his resignation in March 2019.[7] He was replaced by Salvador del Solar.

Congressman

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In the 2016 general elections, he was elected congressman representing the San Martin region under the Alliance for Progress of César Acuña.

Controversies

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Arrest

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On 26 November 2019, he was arrested preventatively, while being investigated for alleged influence peddling in a bribery case linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.[8][9][10] His arrest was a request of the First Supreme Prosecutor's Office Specialized in crimes of Corruption of Officials, this under the orders of the prosecutor Jesús Fernández Alarcón, who requested a preliminary arrest warrant for seven days against him.[11]

References

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  1. ^ PERÚ21, Redacción (2018-04-02). "César Villanueva responde a acusaciones de presunta vinculación con Odebrecht". Peru21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-03-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Peru PM Jimenez resigns, more cabinet changes pending". Reuters. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Peru's President Ollanta Humala swears in Cesar Villanueva as fourth prime minister, retains finance minister". DNA India. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  4. ^ "César Villanueva renunció a la Presidencia del Consejo fe Ministros". Archived from the original on 2017-04-03. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  5. ^ PERÚ, NOTICIAS EL COMERCIO (2014-02-24). "César Villanueva presentó su renuncia irrevocable al cargo | POLITICA". El Comercio Perú (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  6. ^ PERU21, NOTICIAS (2016-09-14). "César Villanueva ratifica que renunció por interferencia en temas de Estado de Nadine Heredia | POLITICA". Peru21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ LR, Redacción (2019-03-08). "César Villanueva presentó su renuncia a la presidencia del Consejo de Ministros". larepublica.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  8. ^ "Ex-Peruvian prime minister detained in Odebrecht case". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  9. ^ Peru21, Redacción (2019-11-26). "Expremier César Villanueva es detenido por presunto delito de tráfico de influencias". Peru21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "César Villanueva: Detienen a ex primer ministro por presunto tráfico de influencias | Lava Jato | Odebrecht". rpp.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  11. ^ LR, Redacción (2019-11-26). "César Villanueva detenido EN VIVO: Últimas noticias sobre la captura al ex premier por tráfico de influencias | caso Odebrecht | | VIDEO | LaRepublica.pe". larepublica_pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-18.
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Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Peru
2013–2014
Succeeded by