Peru's new Foreign Minister Fernando Olivera agreed to step down Saturday in the face of a political crisis sparked by his appointment.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference at his home, Olivera said that President Alejandro Toledo asked him to quit late Friday and that he did not expect that his appointment would lead to the current political crisis.

He said he was deeply hurt by some people's hatred towards him. "I've been working hard against drugs and corruption. I've done nothing wrong and my hands are clean. I don't know why so many people are against me. I feel hurt and don't understand," he said.

He also said the alliance between his Independent Moralizing Front party and Toledo's Peru Possible party had been irreparably damaged.

"Never again will I be part of any cabinet of President Toledo's," Olivera said. "Never again will any member of the Independent Moralizing Front take part in any post of any kind in this government."

Olivera, who had been Peru's ambassador to Spain for the past three years, publicly clashed last week with several top cabinet ministers when he argued in favor of legalizing expanded cultivation of coca, the raw material for cocaine.

Peru's constitution permits limited cultivation of about 10,000 hectares of coca, mostly in the Cuzco region. But regional governments have recently passed ordinances legalizing expanded coca cultivation.

Olivera is one of Toledo's closest political allies. His party offered key support to Toledo during the 2001 elections that brought him into office for a five-year term.

On Thursday, Toledo asked all his 16 ministers to submit resignations following the resignation of Housing Minister Carlos Bruce and Prime Minister Carlos Ferrero, which was a protest against Toledo's decision to replace foreign minister Manuel Rodriguez by Olivera.

On Friday, Toledo held a meeting with the ruling party in an effort to solve the political crisis.

Source: Xinhua