President Dina Boluarte's dolls have been attracting the attention of all of Peru for days. A journalistic investigation has revealed that the president has worn a collection of 15 watches since she came to the Government, in mid-2021, first as vice president of Pedro Castillo and minister of Development and Social Inclusion and then as head of State. A collection that she was in crescendo in luxury and many zeros: it started with a Michael Kors brand watch that was around $130 until reaching a Rolex, Datejust 36 model, made of steel with 18-karat rose gold and diamond inlays, valued at $19,000. None of them appear in Boluarte's asset declarations corresponding to those years.
The Executive has tried to minimize the case, uncovered by the podcast The Encerrona, claiming that it is preferable to turn the page and talk about more important topics. The one who has been most confused in this all-out defense has been the Prime Minister, Gustavo Adrianzén: he ended a press conference abruptly, leaving reporters with questions on their lips and, furthermore, he insisted on downplaying its importance, arriving to trivialize the problem: “Let's declare the pencils, the baptismal medals, the marriage alliances. Where do we get?”. This is the most complex matter that Adrianzén has faced since he replaced Alberto Otárola just two weeks ago.
Another high-ranking official who justified Boluarte was the Minister of Housing, Construction and Sanitation, Hania Pérez de Cuéllar: despite having been head of the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi), She has said that she bought a replica of a Rolex in the informal market in China and hinted that there is a plot to overthrow the Government, hinting at the influence of Otárola, the former head of the Council of Ministers. She then she changed her version of it.
For various analysts, the issue has very little that is frivolous: officials have the obligation to declare their assets and jewelry, in this case high-end watches, are also included, as long as they exceed the value equivalent to two tax units ( ITU): 10,300 soles or 2,783 dollars. That is why the Attorney General's Office has decided to initiate preliminary proceedings against President Boluarte for two alleged crimes: illicit enrichment and failure to record a statement in documents.
During a public event and without being able to hide her discomfort, Dina Boluarte responded briefly, but still clarified some aspects. “I want to tell all of Peru that I have been working since I was 18 and what I have is the result of my efforts. The particular item is from yesteryear and I use it very occasionally,” she indicated in reference to the Rolex. According to The Encerrona, which carried out an exhaustive analysis of the president's protocol photos, Boluarte wore that watch about 25 times since his first appearance on June 7, 2023. This data clashes with his statements: he had never worn it before at official events. Added to this is the fact that there is a marked difference between the four watches that she wore before becoming president and the 11 watches that she wore after her after replacing Pedro Castillo. David Sun, representative of Perú Watches, maintains that among the 15 watches there would be three Rolexes and not just one, although this information is still unconfirmed.
Another questioned point is that when Boluarte ran for mayor of Surco, in 2017, in his sworn statement he declared an annual income of 54,000 soles ($14,594). He then worked in the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) and did not include other income. This is a salary incompatible with a $19,000 watch. When she became Minister of Development and Social Inclusion, her salary rose to 30,000 ($8,108), but since she became President of the Republic (the period of time in which she began to wear the Rolex publicly) her income was reduced to practically half: 16,000 soles ($4,324), since during Castillo's mandate the Heads of State began to earn less than their ministers.
The presidential office has reported that they did not issue purchase orders for the fifteen watches. Even if they were gifts, they should have been declared due to their value. One of Boluarte's allies, the regional governor of Ayacucho, Wilfredo Oscorima, is also under the spotlight. The politician acknowledged in the past having given two Rolexes to a judge for allowing him to participate in the 2010 elections. Early on Thursday, March 14, when his collection was uncovered, he met with the president.
According to the newspaper's investigations The Republic, President Boluarte's sworn statements show an increase of 432,000 soles (117,762 dollars) in the last two years, in the other income category. That is, they have tripled between 2021 and 2023. All of this for now are indications of an alleged asset imbalance. Fuerza Popular, the political party with the majority in Congress, has issued a statement demanding clear answers. “The president of the Council of Ministers is wrong when he tries to point out that this matter is part of the President's private sphere. Meanwhile, the Peru Libre bench, which brought her to power along with Castillo, has indicated that it will present a motion of censure against Boluarte for “permanent moral incapacity.” The watch collection has put the president in check: until she finishes her term, many Peruvians will not stop looking for what she wears on her wrists.
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