Former Peruvian president Manuel Merino (2020) and former ministers Antero Flores-Aráoz and Gastón Rodríguez were constitutionally indicted for the death of two protesters and injuries to 78 others in last year’s protests, the Public Ministry reported.
Merino, former President of the Council of Ministers Antero Flores-Aráoz and former Interior Minister Gastón Rodríguez were accused of being responsible (by improper omission) for the crimes of homicide, serious and minor injuries as possible intent.
The Nation’s Attorney, Zoraida Avalos, presented the indictment before Congress to qualify the constitutional complaint and approve its indictment in the Subcommittee on Constitutional Indictments.
Merino succeeded Martin Vizcarra, who was removed from office by Congress in November last year, but his term lasted less than a week due to demonstrations that took place in different cities across the country.
The protests of November 14, 2020, in which young Inti Sotelo and Bryan Pintado died, was the episode that ended the brief government due to violent police repression. The representative was replaced by Francisco Sagasti (2020-2021).
The Public Ministry declared that they were denounced for not having fulfilled the constitutional and legal duty in the exercise of their functions to protect the life and physical integrity of the citizens who participated in the demonstrations. They were also denounced for not taking steps to control the disproportionate use of police force.
The constitutional complaint alleges that those cited “had the capacity and were in a position to avoid the results, but they did not”, which constitutes the eventual intent of the deaths and injuries produced. Furthermore, those cited had a dominant position over the police forces and had official information that the protests would intensify.
However, “no measures were taken to control or mitigate these actions and, on the contrary, they allowed their continuation, which resulted in two deaths and 78 citizens identified so far with light and serious injuries, who participated in these social mobilizations”, adds the resolution.