The Public Ministry of Peru and the Division of Investigation of High Complexity Crimes (Diviac) carried out a search and seizure operation at the home of the President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, in Lima, this Saturday (30). She is the target of an investigation into illicit enrichment and failure to declare luxury watches.
The case came to light after the publication of a report on the La Encerrona portal. The text stated that the center-left Peruvian president had more than US$40,000 (more than R$200,000) in Rolex watches. The report analyzed photos of Boluarte at events with the jewelry to state that she possibly had more than a dozen luxury watches.
In response, Boluarte stated that what she has is the result of the work she has done since she was 18 years old and asked: “Since when does a part of the press care about what a president uses and what she doesn’t use? I hope and want to believe that this is not a sexist issue.”
According to BBCa movement of US$300,000 (more than R$1.5 million) in deposits of unknown origin was also identified in Dina Boluarte’s personal accounts before she took office in December 2022.
The police action was criticized by the president. She called the measure “surprising, arbitrary and abusive.” Boluarte’s defense lawyer, Joseph Campos, stated that the Public Ministry’s actions were “absolutely unconstitutional”. The police forcefully entered the president’s house and also searched the Government Palace.
The president of Peru already had a hearing scheduled on the case for April 5, but she asked the Attorney General’s Office for the testimony to be brought forward due to the progress of the investigations.
On Saturday, the Peru Livre party presented a request to Congress for the president’s dismissal, which will be analyzed this week. The text received the signature of 26 congressmen from Peru Livre and other left-wing parties. Boluarte said she “does not fear” this and recalled that this is the 2nd motion she would face since the beginning of her term in December 2022.
To overthrow a president in Peru, the impeachment process must receive at least 87 favorable votes from the 130 congressmen.
The other impeachment process presented against Boluarte was rejected by the country’s Congress. The request to revoke Dina Boluarte’s mandate intended to hold her responsible for the 72 deaths recorded during the protests that took place at the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023.
Possession of Boluarte
The current president of Peru took office in December 2022, after the attempted self-coup by Pedro Castillo. He was facing the 3rd impeachment process and lost his position after ordering the dissolution of congress and calling new elections. Castillo was arrested after leaving the presidency.
The new president faced a series of protests in the country, against Castillo’s departure. Popular movements defended the anticipation of the elections, but the Peruvian Congress decided to reject a bill that would bring forward the choice of a new president by popular vote to 2023.
To combat the movements, the president issued a decree that limited individual freedoms and placed the police on the streets to repress the protesters. At least 72 people died in the acts. Dina Boluarte’s mandate is valid until 2026.
Editing: Rodrigo Durão Coelho
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
