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The Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office reported this Thursday on the launch of a new preliminary investigation against the country’s president, Pedro Castillo, for alleged crimes against the Administration of Justice and personal cover-up. This after last Tuesday the former Minister of the Interior, Mariano González, accused him in statements to the media of obstruction of Justice. It is the fourth investigation against the president in just under a year in office.
Through its Twitter account, the Peruvian National Prosecutor’s Office reported that it has launched an investigation against the President of the Republic, Pedro Castillo, for alleged crimes against the Administration of Justice and Personal Cover-up.
“The object of the same are the recent facts referring to the changes in the interior sector”, pointed out the Public Ministry.
Last Tuesday night, Castillo announced through his Twitter account the dismissal of Mariano González as Minister of the Interior. This just 15 days after taking office.
On behalf of the Government of the people, I thank the services rendered to the Nation by Mr. Mariano González Fernández as Minister of the Interior. Today at 9:30 pm I will swear in the new head of this sector.#AlwaysWithThePeople
– Pedro Castillo Terrones (@PedroCastilloTe) July 20, 2022
To explain the reasons for the dismissal, this Thursday, the president of the Council of Ministers of Peru, Aníbal Torres, appeared before the Congress Oversight Commission, assuring that the reason for the dismissal was that González did not have the fight against insecurity as a priority. citizen.
“There was a serious problem with the Minister of the Interior, who did not give satisfactory answers. To which we agreed to hold an extraordinary council dedicated exclusively to citizen insecurity, it was held and he insisted that there is no citizen insecurity and that this is just a perception Torres pointed out.
He also assured that the former minister “had not the slightest intention of materializing the emergency decree” announced for Lima, Trujillo and Callao, due to citizen insecurity.
He explained that the issue is a matter of “priority for the Peruvian population”, so it made no sense that González had no will to fight against this scourge and also pointed out that no evidence will be found that the president tried to obstruct justice. because “there aren’t”.
González reiterates the accusations before Congress
However, González, who also spoke this Thursday before Congress, reiterated the accusations he made to the press on Tuesday after being dismissed and that triggered the start of the investigation.
“Today I have no doubt of the commitment that the gentleman has with corruption. And I have no doubt that this abrupt exit has to do with obstructing the administration of Justice,” the former minister told local media on Tuesday.
According to the former head of the Interior, the differences with the Presidency arose after González announced the creation of a special police team to find three people who are being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office for corruption and who have been on the run since June. According to the former minister, the president’s actions would be aimed at preventing the search and capture of the accused.
“I received a normal complaint because he (Peruvian President Pedro Castillo) did not agree with my decision. The president never told me that he did not capture the fugitives, but he did question my decision to go after them,” declared Mariano González.
Those involved are the former Minister of Transport, Juan Silva; the former secretary of the Palace, Bruno Pacheco; and a nephew of the president, Fray Vásquez; who allegedly participated in a corruption case in which Castillo is also being investigated.
Apparently, the defendants were part of a criminal organization that gave illicit money to the national president to obtain assignments of infrastructure works to private companies.
Castillo: “We don’t have time to entertain ourselves”
Given the statements and the investigation carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office, the president of Peru declared this Thursday in front of the presidential palace and indicated that he was busy running the country, so he had no time for anything else.
“We do not have time to entertain ourselves with other things. We are not here to make a circus, the country has put us here to work for health, development, the frontal fight against corruption and the great gaps left by previous governments,” Castillo said. .
He also welcomed the review that is being carried out in Congress on the general committee and assured: “We will not get involved in this action because we respect its independence. I hope that the next general commission walks hand in hand with us and responds to the greatest needs of the country. ”.
This July 28, Castillo will celebrate one year in power. However, with this action by the Prosecutor’s Office there would already be four investigations against him, where he is accused of alleged influence peddling in a military promotion file; for alleged corruption and aggravated collusion in a public works project; and for allegedly plagiarizing his university thesis.
Parliament is again considering presenting a new request for the president’s vacancy in the coming days, which would be the third so far in his term.
With information from Reuters, EFE and AFP
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