Still problems for Pedro Castillo in Peru: they do not find the fugitive sister-in-law, accused of corruption

The family home of Peru’s president Pedro Castillo, in the Cajamarca region, was raided Wednesday in search of his sister-in-law Yenifer Paredes. accused of corruptionaccording to the television images.

The operation was unsuccessful for the second consecutive day, after a team of prosecutors and police tHe also broke into the Government Palace without finding Paredes.

According to images broadcast by various television channels, the agents entered the house of Castillo’s family in the village of Chugur, in the northern province of Chota.

The Superior Court of Justice approved the tax requirement for the search on Tuesday because Castillo’s sister-in-law indicated up to three addresses in their identity documents.

A prosecutor consulted by the AFP was unable to confirm the operation, due to secrecy of the process.

However, President Castillo confirmed the action in Cajamarca in mid-morning during a public act at the Government Palace, headquarters of the Executive in Lima.

“They just entered my house”said the president, a 52-year-old rural teacher and trade unionist who faces up to five tax investigations for alleged corruption, an unprecedented situation for an incumbent president.

Yenifer Paredes, 26, who considers the president and his wife “parents”, is wanted by his alleged participation in a corruption and money laundering network.

In this case she had already been called to testify before the Public Prosecutor and to appear before a control commission of the Peruvian Congress, in mid-July.

In the building

After nearly four hours of searching, the agents left the presidential residence in the Palacio de Pizarro without finding Paredes.

the operator it is unprecedented in Peruvian historywhere justice had never entered the seat of the Executive Power to arrest a person.

Castillo and his family, including his 26-year-old sister-in-law, live in the presidential residence which is part of the Government Palace.

The accusation is open five investigations against President Castillo himself for alleged corruption, another unprecedented situation for a president in the exercise of his functions.

Castillo reacted to the unusual situation through a message broadcast on television at around 11pm local time, describing what happened as an “illegal search” which is part of an alleged media plan to remove him from power in complicity with the right-wing opposition in Congress.

“Today the Government Palace and the Presidential House were again violated with an illegal search endorsed by a judge, incidentally when the request for disqualification is requested for 5 years to take away from the Peruvian people their legitimate government, “said Castillo, a 52-year-old rural teacher and trade unionist.

“All Peruvians are witnesses to the continuing implementation of a media plan that aims to seize power illegally and unconstitutionally”, added the president, who appeared in recent weeks surrounded by justice.

The move comes in the same week as a parliamentary report released Tuesday. recommends disqualifying and prosecuting Castillo politically and criminallyclaiming to have committed treason against the country by considering a possible popular referendum on granting Bolivia an outlet to the sea, which the president denies.

Castle in July he completed a year in powerand in addition to the judicial siege, he has faced two attempts to impeach him by Congress and has 74% disapproval in public opinion, according to polls.

The prosecution took place simultaneously in several locations in the Peruvian capital, in which José Nenil Medina, mayor of a city in the original region of Castillo, and business brothers Hugo and Angie Espino were arrested. all possibly linked in the same web of corruptionaccording to the indictment.

The court authorized the preliminary arrests of those involved for 10 days.

According to a Sunday television program, Paredes and Hugo Espino proposed sanitation jobs in a town in Cajamarca, the northern region of Peru where she and the president hail.

Castle’s sister-in-law He is the fourth person in the presidential entourage under investigation for alleged corruption cases.

Castillo’s other collaborators went on a nephew who acted as an adviser, his former Minister of Transportation, both fugitives from justice, and his former presidential secretary.

The latter was delivered last week. and tries to reach a collaboration agreement with the prosecution to reduce their alleged crimes.

First lady Lilia Paredes also appeared before a parliamentary commission of inquiry last month. However, the president’s wife refused to respond to lawmakers “on the recommendation of my lawyer.”

Lilia Paredes had already declared herself before the Public Prosecutor for the same case, answering all the questions.

Source: AFP, EFE and AP

PB