The Minister of Defense, Juan Carrasco, appeared this Monday before the Congressional Defense Commission to respond to the meeting held in the building located in the Sarratea passage, in Breña, with the President of the Republic, Pedro Castillo.
“The concrete thing is that I have been a volunteer, I have gone on duty (to Breña). Let’s say, the time is not a visiting hour, it is not office hours. It is not 4:00 pm, it was late at night. I was just taking office in the Ministry of Defense and needed to discuss personal issues with him“Said Carrasco.
“That is why I go to that house. It has definitely been a matter of trade. I didn’t know if he was or wasn’t in that house, that’s why I waited for him”He added.
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During his participation, Carrasco Millones backtracked in his previous statements. Now he indicated that the meeting was due to personal issues; however, on November 30, it said that issues of “defense of the nation”.
“(…) In other times, in other governments, they are normal, daily meetings that can be held inside or outside a private place and what is discussed in those meetings -from my position as Minister of Defense- we handle the entire defense system of the Nation and, therefore, we must preserve the reserve of such meetings”, Declared the head of the Mindef to Exitosa weeks ago.
That statement by the Minister of Defense differs from what was later stated by President Pedro Castillo during a message to the Nation from the Government Palace.
Accompanied by his ministers, the head of state assured that “official meetings are only held at the Government Palace”And that the appointments in Breña were of a“personal”.
Juan Carrasco is one of the public officials who were caught going to the house in Breña where Castillo Terrones held unofficial meetings.
“I consider it pertinent that I referred to the meetings that took place in other governments. In that context were my statements. Perhaps I did not express my ideas clearly. I apologize”, Said the minister before the congressmen, this Monday the 13th.