Peru’s president, Dina Bolluarte, was ordered by the Peruvian public prosecutor’s office to produce Rolex watches in her possession when she was called on Friday to testify as part of an investigation into alleged illegal breeding.
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Peruvian public prosecutors have ordered President Dina Bolliarte to produce Rolex watches in her possession when she is called Friday to testify as part of an investigation into alleged illegal enrichment.
The president’s home was searched on Saturday as part of an investigation into luxury watches that she is suspected of not declaring as part of her wealth.
“The President of the Republic was formally summoned on Friday 5 April to present the Rolex watches and make his statement,” the public prosecutor said in a statement sent to the press on Sunday.
Further, he asserted that during the search of his house and the Government Palace, these valuables were not found and the President did not hand them over.
The public prosecutor, however, added that “other elements of interest for investigation have been obtained”. Media reported that documents were found stating the date a watch was obtained.
In an address to the nation, Dina Boluiarte condemned the search of her home as “arbitrary, disproportionate and humiliating”, evidence of “systematic harassment” against her.
“beautiful watches”
Dina Boluiarte’s defense said on Saturday that police found the watches during a search of the government palace. “There were some nice watches, but I can’t say how many of them were Rolexes,” said lawyer Mateo Castaneda.
The Rolex scandal erupted after local news site, La Ancerona, published a series of photos on March 15 showing Dina Boluiarte wearing various luxury watches while in government in 2021 and 2022.
On March 19, the public prosecutor’s office announced the opening of a preliminary investigation into “illegal breeding and non-declaration of use of Rolex watches”.
Dina Boluiarte, 61, assured that she has “clean hands” and only owns a watch.
She became president in early December 2022 after the impeachment and arrest of leftist head of state Pedro Castillo, of whom she was vice-president.
In early March she had to replace the prime minister, Alberto Ottarola, who announced his resignation after an investigation into influence peddling was launched following the broadcast of audio recordings implicating him. This close friend of the President assumed office in December 2022.
with AFP
