Police and prosecutors in Peru carried out a surprise raid early Saturday on President Dina Boluarte’s home and presidential palace as part of an “unlawful enrichment” investigation following news reports that she had been seen wearing Rolex watches since taking office.
The raid, which took place as Peruvians celebrated Holy Week, shocked many individuals, even in a rustic that over the past twenty years has grow to be accustomed to politicians being investigated for alleged corruption.
Before midnight on Good Friday, police used a battering ram to force their way into Ms. Boluarte’s home in Lima, in accordance with a Good Friday livestream. Latin news. Prosecutors and police then searched Ms. Boluarte’s office and residence in the presidential palace.
The president missed a scheduled meeting with prosecutors this week to point out them three Rolex watches she wore and explain how she obtained them. According to Attorney General Juan Villena, who told lawmakers that her refusal “was a transparent indicator revolt“
The An investigation into Mrs. Boluarte’s case has begun March 18 after an internet news program La Encerrona revealed that since taking office in December 2022, she has began wearing increasingly expensive watches, including a minimum of one Rolex. Prosecutors suspect her of violating national laws on unjust enrichment and failing to declare her assets. In Peru, elected authorities must report back to the government any assets price greater than 10,300 soles, or about $2,774, and in addition disclose any gifts received from third parties.
Local news outlets have since reported that Ms. Boluarte wore three other Rolex watches, in addition to one Cartier bracelet price $50,000and that the banking authorities did so detected roughly $300,000 in deposits of unknown origin, sent to her personal accounts before taking office.
According to La Encerrona, the Rolex model he is claimed to be wearing costs a minimum of $14,000.
Ms. Boluarte denied any wrongdoingbut she also refused to publicly explain the origins of Rolexes, just saying the first Rolex watch that caught attention was an item “from the old days.” “Not being corrupt is in my DNA” – she told journalists March 15. “What I have is the fruit of my efforts and my work.”
In a televised speech on Saturday, Ms. Boluarte, flanked by ministers in her government, accused news outlets of creating “smokescreens” that fuel “chaos and uncertainty.” She called on Peruvians to march in defense of democracy.
“I am an honest woman. I entered the Presidential Palace with clean hands and that’s how I will leave in 2026,” she said. “Let us march today in the name of truth and idealism and embrace each other with one heart.”
Ms. Boluarte’s surrogates suggested other explanations. Hania Pérez de Cuéllar, her housing minister and former head of the intellectual property protection agency, suggested that the Rolex may be a fake and admitted to purchasing a counterfeit luxury watch yourself while traveling to China. Ms. Boluarte’s lawyer said early on Saturday that she may have received the watches from a “fan” who wished to remain anonymous.
Justice Minister Eduardo Arana called the raids “unconstitutional” and “disproportionate” and called on lawmakers for “unity” in the face of what he described as an attempt to destabilize the government.
“Justice is politicized” – he said at a press conference with other ministers. “The goal is to break down government, democracy and institutions.” He refused to reply journalists’ questions.
It was unclear whether the Rolex controversy would cost Ms. Boluarte key support.
The Ministry of Interior, which controls the national police, expressed support for it, saying: entry on X that he rejected “acts affecting the development of the country, hidden under questionable judicial rules.”
“We confirm our commitment to proceed working for internal order in the country,” the ministry wrote.
Some of Ms. Boluarte’s right-wing allies blamed her for allowing the situation to escalate. And once-friendly news outlets have taken a more critical stance, which may mean her supporters’ patience may be running out.
The Rolex controversy comes amid a faltering economy and growing hunger in Peru, a country that has won international praise for strengthening its democracy and an mining-fueled commodity boom that has lifted millions of its citizens out of poverty. Investigative news program The fourth estate was announced that in February, Ms. Boluarte wore one Rolex model valued at more than $18,000, which aimed to combat poverty among the most vulnerable groups in society.
Some political observers say the scandal could open the door to a new round of political turmoil in a country that has had six presidents in the past six years.
Any way out of the current crisis seemed to lead to a “dead end,” Peruvian political scientist Gonzalo Banda said in an interview. If he remains in office, trust in democracy is likely to decline even further, which will have unpredictable consequences, he said.
“In Peru, the political class is no longer responsive to citizens, so citizens are becoming more and more distant from politics, more disaffected from politics and more tired of politics, but that doesn’t mean they don’t pay attention to it,” Mr. Banda said. “All this discontent will be unleashed in the new elections.”
According to the survey as of January, Ms. Boluarte is the least popular president in Latin America, with an approval rating of just 9%.
The former government official turned Marxist party politician served as vice president to President Pedro Castillo. She replaced him after he was impeached and arrested in 2022 for announcing he was taking over Congress and the judiciary.
Ms Boluarte’s decision to replace Castillo rather than resign – as she once promised she would do to make way for new elections – sparked violent protests against her government in late 2022 and early 2023, resulting in 49 civilian deaths in police and military repression. She is currently under investigation by national human rights prosecutors.
Ms. Boluarte also co-authored a book on human rights that is under investigation for plagiarism.
Before taking office, Ms. Boluarte earned $1,100 a month as a bureaucrat at a state ID agency. As a minister, she earned about $8,000 a month and as president, she earned just over $4,000 a month.
When authorities recovered the boxes from Ms. Boluarte’s residence, – said the MP that her former left-wing party had gained enough support to request a congressional impeachment vote, where Ms. Boluarte had relied on a coalition of right-wing and centrist parties for her survival.
Although an impeachment motion requires only 26 votes, passage requires 87 votes, or two-thirds of legislators.
Two presidents, Castillo and Martín Vizcarra, have been impeached since 2016, when recurring corruption scandals began to fuel high-stakes political battles in Peru. One, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, resigned to avoid an impeachment vote. All but one of Peru’s living former presidents, Francisco Sagasti, who ruled from late 2020 to mid-2021, have been investigated for corruption or human rights abuses. In 2019, former president Alan García committed suicide to avoid arrest.
Congressman Alejandro Muñante from the far-right Renovación Popular party said on X that Mrs. Boluarte has not done herself any favors by remaining silent in recent weeks.
“Being quiet has cost the president a lot and will continue to do so if he continues to advocate this terrible defense strategy,” Muñante said. “Boluarte still has time to explain this. If he didn’t, the new succession wouldn’t be crazy at all.
