The Peruvian Congress this Friday approved the final report of a constitutional complaint recommending that the Prosecution charge former President Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) of leading a criminal organization during his government to obtain money in exchange for fraudulent procurement of public works.
With 59 votes in favor, 23 against and 3 abstentions, the lawmakers gave the green light to the final report of the complaint filed by the National Prosecutor’s Office against the former president, who is serving 18 months of preventive detention after his failed self-coup, for which now the Public Prosecutor must present a formal complaint before the Judiciary.
The document recommends that Castillo be charged with the alleged commission of crimes against public peace, in the form of criminal association aggravated by his presumed position as boss, and against the public administration, in the form of aggravated trading of influence, as well as the alleged accomplice of the crime against the public administration in the form of collusion.
The file responds to alleged irregularities found in the works of the Tarata II bridge, in the northern department of San Martín, and in other alleged cases of corruption relating to the public company Petroperú and the Ministry of Housing.
In two other votes, the plenary session of the Parliament also approved to accuse the former ministers of Transport and Communications and of Housing, Civil Construction and Sanitary Services, Juan Silva and Geiner Alvarado, respectively, for the alleged commission of the crime against public tranquillity. the form of the criminal organization.
The Congressional Standing Committee approved this report on February 10, after the constitutional complaint filed last November by the national prosecutor, Patricia Benavides, against the former president and his former ministers.
What was said during the 4 hours of debate
During the presentation of the file, the legislator Diego Bazán, of the right-wing party Avanza País, highlighted the “condemning elements”, according to what he said were “very revealing”, provided by the Public Prosecutor on the alleged existence of a criminal organization in the state apparatus.
For her part, the chair of the subcommittee on constitutional charges, Lady Camones, stressed respect for due process, as well as her “independence, impartiality and legality”, and accused Castillo and his defense of carrying out “delaying and obstructive” actions ” .
During his virtual speech, the former president’s lawyer, Eduardo Pachas, unsuccessfully requested that Castillo be able to exercise his right to defense in person before the plenary session and called the accusation “absurd”, insisting that Congress did not observe the contested decrees and trusted the cabinets that had the accused former ministers, for which it requested the filing of the complaint.
After asking for the filing of the complaint against the former president, it was the turn of Silva’s defense, but the participation of his lawyer was rejected for not having been previously accredited, while the former minister Alvarado sent a letter to the Parliament in which prepared for the approval of the charge of constitutionality so that the Prosecutor’s Office can continue and formalize the investigation.
During the debate, which lasted about four hours, dozens of the 130 deputies who make up the Peruvian hall, which seemed practically empty, took the floor.
Castillo is complying with an 18-month pre-trial detention court order issued after his failed coup attempt, which led Congress to oust him on Dec. 7 for “permanent moral incapacity” and to nominate his vice president to replace him by succession constitutional, Dina Boluarte .
Source: agencies
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.