The parliamentarian from Peru Libre, Janet Rivasfaces accusations for allegedly hiring workers in his office who would not fulfill their duties in Congress. Among them, the one of an alleged ‘ghost worker’who, despite receiving a monthly salary, would carry out activities outside of his official position.
According to a journalistic investigation by the Sunday newspaper ‘Cuarto Poder’, Maria Augusta Francia Benavente She appears as a ‘technical’ worker in the Rivas office since November 2023 on the State payroll, with a monthly salary of more than S/7,000. However, he has been seen dedicating himself to personal tasks, such as supervising the construction of his house in Cañete or talking with neighbors.
For the parliamentarian, the absence of Francia Benavente in Congress It is because he performs his duties remotely due to health problems. The congresswoman tried to justify hiring, pointing out that she supervises her work through the reports she sends daily. “We supervise the work, the report, that she sends every day. The report that she is commissioned to provide a product within the congressional office,” he added.
But the Peru Libre congresswoman’s worker assured that she currently works independently and denied having an employment relationship with the State. “(I work) in Administration, but with independent people. I am independent, I am not working for the State,” he said in the report when they approached his residence in Cañete.
In addition, another worker from Janet Rivas’s congressional office, Lizeth Quirozclaimed not to know María Augusta Francia Benavente. When asked by journalists and shown a photo of France, she responded: “No, I don’t know her, I’ve never seen her“.
She would not be the only ‘ghost worker’ in Rivas’s office
Finally, this hiring would not be the only one questioned in the journalistic investigation. According to ‘Fourth Power’, Delfina Pedraza She is also listed as hired since February with a salary of S/3,639. However, the parliamentarian’s responses about her role and functions would reveal an alleged lack of supervision of her workers.
Although Janet Rivas initially assured that Pedraza works as a “liaison coordinator” and carries out work outside of Congress, she was unable to specify the title of her position, showing confusion and contradictions when responding. “She works more outside than inside, but she comes several times a week. (…) People enter and leave the office, and I’m not remembering if you are an assistant or an advisor,” he exclaimed.
