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President Dina Boluarte, here with a Rolex Datejust 31, has to justify her expensive watches
Photo: Luis Iparraguirre / Peru Presidency / REUTERS
Dozens of police searched the home of Peruvian President Dina Boluarte for luxury goods. Now a third of the cabinet has resigned. Interior Minister Victor Torres and five other government members resigned from office, two days after police searched the head of state's home for suspected undeclared luxury watches. Torres cited “family matters” as his reason, but his resignation was widely seen as a reaction to the search operation.
The remaining ministers responsible for women's rights, education, rural development, production and foreign trade resigned without giving a reason. They have been replaced. The new interior minister is Walter Ortiz Acosta, a retired police general.
Investigations into unlawful enrichment
The president's house was searched as part of an investigation into unlawful enrichment. The head of state is suspected of not having declared a collection of luxury watches among her assets. According to the police, 40 investigators were on duty. However, they did not find any luxury watches in the president's house. Boluarte is scheduled to be questioned on Friday.
President Boluarte has rejected the search as "discriminatory and unconstitutional." "I respect the prosecutor's investigation," Boluarte said at a press conference. However, she rejects the way in which this is done.
Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzén also strongly condemned the raid. The search was an "unbearable attack on the dignity of the presidency, the republic and the nation it represents," said Adrianzén on the RPP station. He spoke of “destabilizing political acts based on questionable court orders.”
In addition to luxury goods, Boluarte is also on trial for genocide
The affair came to light after a local website published photos in mid-March showing the then minister wearing various luxury watches in 2021 and 2022. Boluarte had assured that she had a “clean slate” and only owned a watch that she had bought with her savings.
On the advice of her lawyer, Boluarte made no statement about the origin of the Rolex luxury watches. She will clarify the matter before the public prosecutor. She accused the press of “systematic harassment” of her person. "Since when does part of the press care what a president wears or doesn't wear?" she said. »I hope and want to believe that this is not a sexist or discriminatory topic.«
If charges are brought, the 61-year-old will not have to face trial until after the end of her term in office in July 2026, according to the Peruvian constitution. Boluarte is already being investigated for “genocide, aggravated murder and grievous bodily harm.” As a result of her taking office, riots broke out in which more than 50 people were killed.
Boluarte became the country's president in 2022 after former leftist President Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested. Previously, Castillo had tried to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. Peru was then rocked by serious unrest.
lpz/AFP/dpa