The first female president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, is being investigated for corruption and illicit enrichment for having an undeclared collection of Rolex watches and luxury jewelry, valued at 461 thousand euros despite receiving a monthly salary of three thousand euros.
At the origin of the scandal is the investigation of the popular podcast Peruvian “La Encerrona” who analyzed thousands of his photographs and revealed that the 61-year-old Peruvian president wore several luxury watches worth between 13 and 23 thousand euros, during the period he was in government between 2021 and 2022, but which were not declared in the property registry before the Peruvian National Elections Jury (JNE).
After the release of the report, on March 15, Dina Boluarte told journalists that she had “clean hands” and that the watches used in public ceremonies were “old” items.confirming that he owns a Rolex watch valued at 13 thousand euros. “I have been working since I was 18, what I have is the result of my effort” he explained.
Following this investigation, the Public Ministry of Peru announced, on March 18, the opening of a “preliminary process” against the Peruvian president, allegedly for not having declared in documents the possession of “Rolex watches” and for illicit enrichment, of according to a statement.
The first sitting president targeted by searches
On Friday night, the president’s residence in Lima and her office were searched by a team of National Police agents and prosecutors to execute a search warrant. The first time in the country’s history that the police forcefully entered the home of a sitting president, writes the guardian.
Prosecutors confirmed that the searches had produced “elements of interest” for the investigation, but that despite the watches being requested from Dina Boluarte, they had not been delivered, reports Reuters. According to the local press, eight watches from other brands were found in the Government Palace.
Following the searches, the president of Peru stated, in a television address made to the country on Saturday, that she rejected the “unconstitutional and discriminatory” way in which the investigation into alleged illicit enrichment is being conducted, after authorities broke down the door of the in front of his residence the previous morning.
Boluarte asked to testify “immediately”
On Sunday, the current head of state asked the Public Ministry to testify “immediately”, taking into account the “political turmoil” that the scandal was causing. Thus anticipating the meeting to make statements, initially scheduled for next Friday, April 5th. “I come to request that my statement be taken immediately, in order to clarify the facts under investigation as quickly as possible”he stated.
Despite taking power on December 7, 2022, Dina Boluarte has already survived two attempts to remove her from office, and may now face a third attempt to remove her from office. impeachment due to the latest scandal. Since the majority of left-wing opposition deputies presented a motion in Congress on Monday to begin the process of removing Boluarte for “permanent moral incapacity.”
“Political turmoil”
On Monday, six of Boluarte’s 18 ministers, including the Peruvian Minister of Internal Affairs, resigned over the scandal.
“I’m leaving because I asked her and the owner (Boluarte) agreed”said the Peruvian Minister of Internal Administration, Victor Torres, citing “family problems”, upon leaving his last Council of Ministers at the Government Palace.
In the following hours, the Peruvian ministers of Education, Women, Agricultural Development, Production and Foreign Trade also announced their departure from the government. That same night, the president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, swore in six new ministers appointed to replace the outgoing members.
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