Peru prosecutor’s office orders President Boluarte to present any Rolex watches in her possession amid corruption investigation News
Protontorniyo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Peru prosecutor’s office orders President Boluarte to present any Rolex watches in her possession amid corruption investigation

Peru’s Prosecutor’s Office ordered President Dina Boluarte on Sunday to present all Rolex watches in her possession on April 5 after a raid on her home and office amid the corruption investigation.

By an order of the Supreme Court of Justice, the action against Boluarte was conducted on Saturday night till the early hours of Sunday, when police raided Boluarte’s home, office, and the presidential residence in the Government Palace. Images and videos circulated on social media outlets show that police busted through the front door of Boluarte’s house with a battering ram during the midnight raid. While denying the intentional dissemination of such materials online, the Prosecutor’s Office clarified that the forced entry was only after they had requested entry and explained their purpose over the intercom, which received no response. The Prosecutor’s Office further stated that while no Rolex watch was located or handed over during the raid, they have nevertheless seized other items of interest relevant to the corruption probe.

However, Boluarte’s attorney told local media that Boluarte has a personal collection of some ten watches of different brands, some of which were her trousseau, which was examined and verified during the raid. The police seized none of them. The defense team requested that Boluarte be allowed to make a public statement on April 5, clarifying some facts relating to the subject investigation, when exhibiting her Rolex collection as per the order of the Prosecutor’s Office. The defense team is also considering filing an “immediate appeal” with the Supreme Court against the judicial resolution that authorized the Saturday action, which they believe is excessive and unnecessary.

Boluarte herself has made a statement on national television on Sunday. Notably, the preliminary proceedings against the president for the alleged crimes of illicit enrichment and failure to declare assets started on March 18. This action was prompted by a report from an independent media organization, which highlighted that Boluarte had been seen wearing up to three Rolex watches at various official events. Boluarte was originally scheduled to exhibit her watches at the Prosecutor’s Office last Tuesday and to give her testimony last Wednesday, but she was required to reschedule both appointments due to a “heavy schedule,” which triggered the Saturday action. After the Saturday raid caused “political turbulence” online, she asked the Prosecutor’s Office to take a statement from her as soon as possible and not on April 5 as planned.

According to the Peruvian Constitution, if indicted in the case, Boluarte will not undergo a trial until her presidential term ends in July 2026 unless she is impeached. Congress may seek a vacancy motion based on “moral incapacity” grounds as stipulated by Article 113.2 of the Constitution. However, it is anticipated that such a motion would be almost unlikely as it requires cooperation from the right-leaning groups that control the parliament and are Boluarte’s main supporters.

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