The Peruvian president finds herself in turmoil over a watch affair. Dina Boluarte is ordered by the courts to present a whole series of Rolex watches in her possession next Friday. The president, who came to power after the imprisonment of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, is accused of illicit enrichment.
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It all started two weeks ago, when a Peruvian news site published a series of photos of Dina Boluarte sporting different luxury watches between 2021 and 2022, while she was in the government of Peru. The public prosecutor’s office then opened a preliminary investigation for suspicion of illegal enrichment.
But Ms. Boluarte, who claims to have “clean hands” and only one watch, does not attend court summons. On the night of Friday March 29 to Saturday March 30, two searches were carried out at his home and at the presidential palace. Proof of purchase of a Rolex was found, but no luxury watches, says the public prosecutor.
“ Systematic harassment »
Dina Boluarte denounces a search “ arbitrary, disproportionate and abusive “, proof she asserts of a ” systematic harassment ” from his view. At the beginning of March, the president had already had to part ways with her Prime Minister, the target of an investigation for influence peddling. She herself is also the subject of a complaint, after the repression of demonstrators demanding her departure in December 2022 – repression which left more than 50 dead.
Yesterday, the public prosecutor summoned the president again to present her testimony and the watches next Friday. Response from the president: “ I want to testify immediately, to face the current political turbulence » – but not a word about the watches requested.
Read alsoPeru: search of President Boluarte’s home amid scandal over Rolex watches