New Ecuador president announces Cabinet

QUITO, Jan 24: Ecuador's new president Gustavo Noboa named some of his Cabinet members Sunday following 48 hours of upheaval that saw the ouster of his predecessor, former president Jamil Mahuad, in a bloodless military coup, reports AFP.

However Noboa had yet to name the key figure of defense minister.

"Peace, progress and justice," Noboa said as he entered Carondelet presidential palace in Quito's historic centre.

The narrow streets leading to the presidential palace remained blocked off late Sunday by knots of soldiers in combat gear, standing guard behind giant rolls of razor wire.

In an emergency session Saturday, the Ecuadoran legislature approved Noboa as the country's new president. The 61-year-old university professor had for almost a year and a half been vice president to Mahuad, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup, overnight Friday to Saturday.

Noboa earlier said that he would maintain a state of emergency throughout the country and keep in place Mahuad's controversial economic program that replaces the local currency with the US dollar.

At 1 p.m. (00:00 BST) Sunday Noboa, flanked by the heads of the army, navy and air force, announced the first seven members of his new cabinet.

The most important job of minister of government -- the equivalent of prime minister -- was handed to Francisco Huerta, a doctor and former health minister.

Huerta unsuccessfully ran for the presidency twice as a member of Popular Democracy Party (DP). On becoming minister, he has resigned his job as assistant editor of the Expreso newspaper of Guayaquil, one of the country's leading newspapers.

Noboa also announced new ministers of tourism, health, social welfare, public administration, education and public works.

Noboa said seven more ministerial appointments, including the key positions of defense and foreign affairs, would be announced by Tuesday.

Huerta assured reporters that the new government enjoyed full support from the armed forces, and said that freedom of the press would be fully respected.