The President of Peru Dina Boluarte was heard Friday by the public ministry as part of an investigation into "illicit enrichment" presumably, a scandal involving luxury watches and jewelry which weakens his government. The interrogation lasted five and a half hours and Ms. Boluarte left the prosecutor's office without making a statement to the press. The prosecution had summoned the 61-year-old president to bring during this summons the valuable objects that she would not have declared in her assets when she took office in December 2022. The scandal, dubbed by the press “Rolexgate”, broke out in mid-March, when a news site published photos showing Ms. Boluarte wearing different luxury watches while she was in government between 2021 and 2022. His home and office were searched on March 30, but no watch was found. Ms. Boluarte assured that she had “clean hands” and only owned one watch, an older model purchased with her savings. Police officers leave the home of Peruvian President Dina Boluarte during a search ordered by the public prosecutor as part of a preliminary investigation, March 30, 2024 in Lima © AFP – Juan Carlos CISNEROS On Tuesday, Attorney General Juan Villena announced that the investigation now also focused on jewelry, including a bracelet worth $56,000, and bank deposits of some $270,000 between 2021 and 2022. In the wake of the searches, six of the eighteen ministers in his government announced their resignations and were immediately replaced. Wednesday , his government, the third in 16 months, obtained the confidence of Parliament, after the departure at the beginning of March of Prime Minister Alberto Otarola, targeted by an investigation for influence peddling. Under the Constitution, in the event of prosecution, Ms. Boluarte cannot be tried before July 2026, the date of the end of her mandate. Police officers separate supporters and detractors of Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, April 5, 2024 in Lima © AFP – Ernesto BENAVIDES Several dozen supporters, but also detractors gathered near the prosecution during his appearance. “Dina resists, Dina, you are not alone” protesters chanted, while others shouted: “Dina, prison is waiting for you”. Dina Boluarte is also the subject of an investigation for “genocide, aggravated homicide and serious injury” after the death of more than fifty people during the two months of social unrest which accompanied her accession to the head of Peru. She became president after the impeachment in early December 2022 and the arrest of left-wing head of state Pedro Castillo, of whom she was vice-president. Since coming to power, she has been the subject of four impeachment procedures, the last two this week. None were admitted to debate by the unicameral Parliament dominated by the right and the far right. All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse
By Teilor Stone
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116