Jose Tello He says that when he first went to the office of the Minister of Justice, in December 2022, the office was sealed. With the government of Pedro Castillo, his sector was captured by the corruption network and for this reason his predecessor in office, Félix Chero, is being investigated by a criminal organization.
What do you think about this request presented to the IACHR that seeks the release and reinstatement of Pedro Castillo as president?
Former President Castillo is a coup leader, he broke the rule of law, his vacancy and detention are in line with the acts he committed; he is a person with well-founded accusations of acts of corruption, let justice follow his pace; but despite what I have just mentioned, Mr. Castillo has the right to defense, like any citizen, in a national or international venue.
Are you surprised that, despite the coup, despite the obvious acts of corruption, Castillo has an environment that defends him?
The people who support him will know why they do it, but what I want to be categorical about is that the State will enforce their rights.
I was asking you about this because we have seen that after December 7, many people came out in defense of Castillo. Do you think that the defense is the ex-president or what he represents ideologically for being a left-wing politician?
What I have seen is opportunism. There is a legitimate citizen protest.
What kind of protest?
When you travel the country you realize that people are not interested in whether politicians fight or not, the only thing that interests them is that you solve their day to day; So, you have annoying people at the national level who demand that their needs be met and have felt that the State did not provide any solution; That is why it is legitimate for people to be upset, to protest. Where does opportunism come in? That this citizen protest be used to introduce an ideological agenda, generate mobilizations of radical sectors and fall into violence that has cost Peruvians their lives, and that hurts.
Has the government considered indemnifying the relatives of the victims who left the violent protests?
What has been done is to give solidarity support, which has an economic content, but at the same time a broader support. We have approved an emergency decree that stipulates financial support of S/50,000 for the bereaved one time and in the case of the injured – people who have been disabled – up to S/25,000.
Returning to the personal vision that you shared about opportunism in the protests, does Dina Boluarte also have the same vision? Is it an argument not to resign as her opponents demand?
We have a position with President Dina Boluarte, because we recognize that she is right to have that firmness and not resign from office, because it is a gesture of responsibility to the country (…) In the event that Dina Boluarte resigns, we would have chaos And it is foreseeable because the one who would assume the government for nine months is the Congress, which today is questioning its own Board of Directors.
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What you are pointing out is that Dina Boluarte is not resigning to give stability to the country?
That’s right, because we find a very fragmented Congress, with different opinions, that it is difficult for them to agree, and we have seen it with the advance of elections; we must be aware that this public nuisance must decrease. And how is that going to happen? With attention to basic needs, to ensure that the transition is stable.
Does the Executive already assume that no elections will be held in 2023?
That must be left in the hands of Congress, we must be respectful, what we must avoid is speculation.
In Peru21 we have reported the presence of Castillo officials in the Minjus. For example, they have Ramón Alcalde as a representative in the Attorney General’s Office who now works in the Regional Government of Callao.
There is a technicality in the rule that must be interpreted based on reality. We must see a way out to correct this situation, this person is elsewhere and, as we can see, the Minjus does not have a representative in the Attorney General’s Office. We have to overcome this scenario.
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When it refers to “overcoming” it means looking for the exit of this official.
Yes, it will happen.
We have seen that the Prosecutor’s Office seized the house in Sarratea, where Castillo’s clandestine office operated; Now that it is in the hands of the State, what will happen to the property?
Sarratea is going to be a symbol of the fight against corruption. It will be the headquarters of an institution that has an important commitment in the fight against corruption.
Is that entity from the justice system?
Yes, it is important that there are gestures, a place that generates so much controversy should serve to counteract this situation.
Keep in mind
-José Tello indicated that Peru “is intoxicated with radicalism” and that in view of this the work of the State “transcends ideological positions.”
-He assured that the Council of Ministers is “solid, united, strong and firm in its decision to work for Peru.”
