Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola announced his resignation on Tuesday, suspected of influence peddling after the revelation of audio recordings in the press.
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“ During a conversation with the President of the Republic, I announced my decision to resign », Declared Alberto Otarola during a press conference.
In the recordings broadcast over the weekend in the television program Panorama of the Panamericana Television channel, Alberto Otarola talks lovingly with a 25-year-old woman, Yazire Pinedo, who this year obtained two contracts worth total of some $14,000 to carry out archival and administrative work for the government. “ Tell me, then, my love, that we can talk “, we hear say in a voice supposed to be that of Alberto Otarola. “ You know these things are boring, they’re painful, but you also know that I love you », apparently referring to the administrative formalities linked to obtaining these contracts.
“ I didn’t do anything illegal »
The Prime Minister of Peru has denied any violation of Peruvian labor laws or other wrongdoing, and attributed the revelation of these recordings to his political opponents. “ I will of course submit to all investigations, but the opinion of the experts will be absolutely clear as to the crude manner in which these recordings were edited and presented to the public “, he added during the press conference. Monday, on the social network the seriousness of political circumstances […]but I repeat that I did nothing illegal “.
On Tuesday, Yazire Pinedo claimed that the leaked conversations dated back to 2021, before he was minister, and admitted to having had a brief “ possibly romantic relationship ” with him. The prosecutor’s office announced the opening of an investigation into influence peddling. The opposition parties unanimously demanded the resignation of Alberto Otarola, 57, married and father of five children, in office since December 2022.
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