Peru’s Attorney General, Juan Carlos Villena, has accused President Dina Boluarte of accepting bribes in the form of Rolex watches, adding to the corruption scandal currently engulfing her government.
In a statement released by his office on Monday, Villena claimed that Boluarte received these luxury items from Ayacucho’s regional governor, Wilfredo Oscorima, which constitutes accepting bribes.
The scandal came to light in March following the discovery of undeclared Rolex watches and other luxury jewellery in Boluarte’s possession.
In her defense, Boluarte told prosecutors that the watches were merely on loan from Oscorima. Despite her explanation, she is now under investigation for “passive corruption” due to allegedly receiving improper benefits from public officials.
Although Villena’s accusation has been formally presented to Congress, it does not equate to an indictment because Boluarte has immunity while in office.
Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen has condemned the accusation, labeling it as “persecution” and asserting that it is an improper and unconstitutional attack against the president.
“This is nothing more than an example of the systematic persecution in fiscal matters that is carried out against the president in an improper, unconstitutional, and illegal manner,” Adrianzen said on television channel Canal N.
A congressional committee is now tasked with debating the accusation before it goes to the full chamber for consideration. If Congress approves the charges, the courts would ultimately decide whether to put Boluarte on trial after her term ends in July 2026.
Boluarte, who has an approval rating of just 12% according to a recent Ipsos poll, lacks her own party in Congress and must rely on support from conservative factions.
Peru’s political landscape is notoriously unstable, having seen six presidents in the past eight years.
Boluarte ascended to the presidency in December 2022 following the impeachment and imprisonment of her predecessor, left-wing President Pedro Castillo, who was ousted for attempting to dissolve Congress. She was his vice president at the time.
Adding to her woes, Boluarte is also under investigation for “genocide, homicide, and serious injuries” linked to the deaths of over 50 protesters during a crackdown on demonstrations demanding her resignation and new elections in 2023.
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