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The president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, went this Friday, June 17, to the headquarters of the National Prosecutor’s Office to be questioned, as part of the preliminary investigation of an alleged case of corruption in his Government. The case is related to the alleged collection of money for works awarded irregularly to some businessmen, through the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
After overcoming two impeachment attempts in Congress, the president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, now faces ordinary justice.
The president attended an interrogation this Friday, June 17, before the office of the attorney general, Pablo Sánchez, since he is being investigated for an alleged case of corruption that would have occurred in the only ten months that his Government has been in office.
“In order to clarify the complaints and speculations against me, today I will go to the National Prosecutor’s Office in an act of transparency with the people and collaboration with the justice system,” Castillo said through his Twitter account before walking towards the headquarters of the accusing entity, located a few blocks from the Government Palace.
Castillo, who has become the first acting head of state to be investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, was escorted by a large police contingent, while some citizens greeted him and others shouted “criminal.”
The investigation against Castillo
According to hypotheses, the Peruvian president would have led a criminal network that received bribes in exchange for awarding works to some businessmen who collaborated with the campaign that brought him to the Presidency.
The actions would have been carried out through the Ministry of Transport and Communications and among the projects questioned, the millionaire tender for the Tarata III Bridge stands out.
Castillo is being investigated for the alleged crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling and aggravated collusion. The case is in charge of the deputy supreme prosecutor, Samuel Rojas, coordinator of the Illicit Enrichment and Constitutional Complaints Area.
In recent weeks, some audios were published that supposedly would indicate the president’s participation in these events. However, one of his lawyers, Eduardo Pachas, argued that there is actually no evidence linking the ruler.
“In the audios the voice of the president does not come out. The one who talks the most is Zamir (Villaverde) and he does a monologue with himself. There is no greater connection, ”he said in reference to the businessman who is serving preventive detention and is being investigated for the irregular award of the Puente Tarata III project.
For the alleged crimes, his former Minister of Transport, Juan Silva, was also called to testify. The portfolio that he led is the one that manages the largest cabinet budget, with 3,344 million dollars for the year 2022.
The scandal erupted after the statements of collaborators such as Karelim López, a businessman who said that he decided to speak out for fear of reprisals against his life and who also accuses the president of manipulating the elections in which he was elected in 2021.
With AP and local media
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