He was sworn in as prime minister by President Ollanta Humala on 31 October 2013, and is affiliated with centre-left parties.

On February 24, 2014, he resigned from the position of Premier, after the Minister of Economy Luis Miguel Castilla Rubio denied him on a television program his claim that he had spoken with him about a possible increase in the minimum wage.

Faced with this series of denials, the opposition severely criticized the minister, describing me as just a "decorative figure."

7 Years later, before the Congressional Oversight Commission, Villanueva confirmed that he had resigned as a protest against the constant interference of Nadine Heredia in State issues, despite not having any position of public representation.

On 26 November 2019, he was arrested preventatively, while being investigated for alleged influence peddling in a bribery case linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.