PM Briceño: Reshuffle Is Strategy, Not Punishment

Prime Minister John Briceño is defending his Cabinet reshuffle, telling News Five in an exclusive interview that the changes were driven by reflection, timing, and the need to place ministers where they can be most effective. Briceño said the fifth anniversary of his administration presented the right moment for adjustments. “I think that as a Prime Minister, I’m constantly looking and seeing where you think you could make certain adjustments,” he said.

One of the most notable moves was shifting Kareem Musa out of the Ministry of Home Affairs after five years. Briceño praised Musa’s performance, saying, “I think that Kareem has done a good job over the past five years, but you know that ministry wears you down. And I felt that maybe now is the time—celebrating our fifth anniversary would be a good time to make some changes.” He added that when forming the new Cabinet earlier this year, Musa had already expressed interest in taking on a new challenge. “At the time I just felt… we just finished five years and I think this is the time to make a change,” the Prime Minister explained.

The reshuffle also saw Oscar Requena reassigned from Education back to Rural Transformation just eight months after accepting the high-profile education portfolio. Briceño rejected any suggestion that the move was a reflection of poor performance. “No, absolutely not. Absolutely not,” he said firmly when asked if it was an indictment on Requena’s short stint at Education. Instead, he said the change was rooted in Requena’s strengths and comfort in representing rural communities. “Minister Requena reluctantly accepted that position. He was enjoying what he was doing at Rural Development… He has about 20 plus villages, felt that he would be more effective there,” Briceño explained.

The Prime Minister said the Education portfolio was reassigned as part of broader adjustments he needed to make. “I needed to give up the Ministry of Immigration… and so I thought that we make many changes, pass immigration to Minister Fonseca,” he said. Briceño reaffirmed his confidence in Francis Fonseca, calling him one of the administration’s strongest and most capable leaders. “Minister Fonseca, I really believe, has probably been the most transformative Minister of Education… He always has my full support,” Briceño asserted. “He’s one of the most effective and hardworking ministers… He has a lot of experience under his belt. I know I’m asking a lot of him, but he’s a very good minister… and he understands the burden of leadership.”