Peruvian public prosecutors have ordered President Dina Boluarte to produce the Rolex watches in her possession when she is summoned on Friday to testify as part of an investigation into alleged illicit enrichment.

The president's home was searched on Saturday as part of this investigation into luxury watches that she is suspected of not having declared as part of her assets.

“The President of the Republic was formally summoned to present the Rolex watches and make her statement on Friday April 5,” the public prosecutor said in a statement sent to the press on Sunday.

Furthermore, he stressed that during the searches of his home and the government palace, these valuable items were not found and that the president did not hand them over.

The public prosecutor, however, added that “other elements of interest for the investigation have been obtained”. Media reported that documents revealing the date one of the watches was obtained had been found.

In an address to the nation, Dina Boluarte denounced the search of her home as "arbitrary, disproportionate and abusive", proof of "systematic harassment" against her.

“Beautiful watches”

Dina Boluarte's defense said Saturday that police found watches during searches of the government palace. Lawyer Mateo Castañeta said that "there were some nice watches, but I can't say how many of them were Rolexes."

The Rolex scandal erupted after a local news site, La Encerrona, published a series of photos on March 15 showing Dina Boluarte wearing different luxury watches while in government in 2021 and 2022.

On March 19, the public prosecutor's office announced the opening of a preliminary investigation for "illicit enrichment and non-declaration of use of Rolex watches."

Dina Boluarte, aged 61, assured that she had “clean hands” and only owned one watch. 

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.

At the beginning of March she had to change Prime Minister, Alberto Otarola having announced his resignation after the opening of an investigation for influence peddling following the broadcast of audio recordings compromising him. This close friend of the president took office in December 2022.

With AFP

The France 24 summary of the week

invites you to look back at the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 application