A member of President Clinton's cabinet - the Energy Secretary, Federico Peña - is to resign in June, citing personal and family reasons for leaving office.

An announcement from the White House said Mr Peña - a former mayor of Denver, and the only Hispanic in the administration - wanted to return to work in the private sector.

Energy Secretary Federico Pena

"There is never a perfect time for a decision like this, but I believe that after five and a half years as a member of the Clinton Cabinet, the time is now right," said Mr Peña in a memo sent to department employees.

The Energy Secretary, who earns nearly $150,000 a year, was reported to have taken the decision for financial reasons.

White House officials said Mr Peña had planned to resign a year ago, after four years as Transport Secretary, but was persuaded by the President to stay on in charge of Energy.

He was also reported to be ready to leave several months ago, following criticism on monitoring airlines prompted by the fatal ValuJet crash of May 1996 in the Florida Everglades.

At a news conference on Monday, Mr Peña reminded reporters that he already had put his Washington house up for sale when he was asked by the president to head the Energy Department.

A likely successor, according to administration sources, is Elizabeth Moler, the current deputy energy secretary and a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
 

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