Peru's new interior minister sworn in amid judge scandal

President Martin Vizcarra swore in a retired police general as Peru's new interior minister Friday to replace Mauro Medina, who resigned after a fugitive supreme court judge fled to Spain. Carlos Moran took the oath of office in a brief ceremony at the government headquarters as Vizcarra sought to cap a difficult week for his fledgling government. Medina resigned late Wednesday after it emerged that a fugitive supreme court judge, Cesar Hinostroza -- awaiting trial in a cash-for-leniency scandal embroiling Peru's judiciary -- had slipped out of the country and fled to Spain. "This is an embarrassing situation for the country," his Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva admitted in a statement to Congress about the judge's escape. Hinostroza was sacked by Congress a fortnight ago and was awaiting trial for leading a criminal group inside the country's judiciary. Vizcarra -- who has made fighting corruption his priority since taking office in March -- announced earlier Friday that Spain had placed Hinostroza in detention and was preparing his extradition. Moran, the new minister, was a member of a special police unit that captured the leader of the Shining Path guerrillas in 1992.