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Peru’s Attorney General, Juan Carlos Villena, has Indicted President Dina Boluarte of bribery in the form of accepting Rolex watches, in the latest corruption scandal impacting her government.
Villena said that her receiving the luxury items from a governor amounted to accepting bribes.
The AG through his office wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “Carlos Presented a constitutional complaint against Dina Boluarte as the suspected author of passive corruption."
The scandal erupted in March with the discovery of a trove of undeclared luxury Rolex watches and jewelry in the president’s possession.
Boluarte told prosecutors last month the Rolex watches had been loaned by a friend, the regional governor of Ayacucho, Wilfredo Oscorima. She is being investigated on suspicion of “passive corruption” for receiving improper benefits from public officials.
The attorney general’s accusation, presented to Congress, does not amount to an indictment because the president has immunity while in power.
“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 told television Canal N.
A congressional committee must now debate the accusation before the whole chamber does so. Ultimately, it would be up to the courts to decide whether to put her on trial after her term ends in July 2026.
The president, who has an approval rating of 12 per cent according to an Ipsos poll, does not have or lead a party in Congress, requiring her to secure backing from conservatives.
Peru suffers from chronic political instability and has had six presidents in the past eight years.
AFP
