The departure of the General Police Commander Victor Zanabria It is imminent. This can be given by the suspension imposed by the Judicial Power of Arequipa in the middle of a corruption case investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, or for its pass to the retirement that has to be executed next Wednesday, October 1.
“On October 1, I pass the adaptation to civil life, that is, they have suspended me for 18 days. It is our excess of power. What do you want to do? As it came out in a journalistic environment. Does the police delay? All the officers here are complaints and those of us who are in the front row are denounced for the same reason, criminal organization for being part of the command,” said General Zanabria upon learning of the judicial resolution.
Given this situation, who would take the reins of the National Police of Peru?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxjhkoeissi
Who is General Oscar Arriola?
Lieutenant General PNP Óscar Arriola Delgado He is one of the most experienced police officers. Doctor of Law and Master in Criminal Law, has specialization in administration and police sciences with mention in internal order. In its more than 30 years of service, it has held key positions in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, highlighting for its academic training and operational experience in high -risk areas. Today is the current Chief of Staff of the PNP in the Government of Dina Boluarte.
Emblematic operations in command of the dircote
As head of the Directorate against Terrorism (DIRCOTE), Arriola led high impact operations against remnants of the Shining Path in the VRAEM and in the central jungle. Under his command, captures of hiking leaders, disarticulation of logistics support networks and rescues of people kidnapped by criminal organizations were executed.
In a remembered public act – in September 2022, during the ceremony for the 30 years of the capture of Abimael Guzmán – he said in front of former president Pedro Castillo – at the headquarters of the dircote – that “we will never lower our arms against a terrorist threat” and that “Movadef is the same as the Shining Path”, in reference to the infiltration of this group in political and social spaces.
The confrontation with Pedro Castillo
In November 2022, during the Government of Pedro Castillo, the Ministry of Interior issued a resolution to relieve it of the DIRCOTE. The measure coincided with a context of political protests and tensions, and was interpreted as an attempt to separate an awkward command for their investigations and statements on links between radical leaders and terrorism. The decision generated internal rejection and, given the pressure, the high police command left the change without effect. Arriola continued in office, consolidating his image and position in the PNP.
According to former ministers such as Carlos Basombrío, the distancing between Castillo and Arriola went back to 2017, when the then teaching leader participated in protests with members of the Movadef, linked to the Shining Path, a fact that Arriola and other officers did not stop pointing publicly. Arriola has also closely followed capture efforts to the fugitive Vladimir Cerrón and operational that involved relatives of the president, such as the intervention to the housing of businessman Alejandro Sánchez, owner of the house of Sarratea who worked as a clandestine presidential office of the coup president.
Arriola has been emphatic in the need to strengthen police intelligence and reform the legal framework to expedite criminal prosecution. He has warned about the progress of transnational criminal organizations such as the Aragua train and has asked for “patriotic, probos and firm judges” to face insecurity.
In the hands of Dina Boluarte
However, the designation is not yet defined. The final word is Dina Boluarte. The President may not give Arriola’s confidence to stay in the post and just keep it interim. If this occurs, you would have to give a selection among the oldest generals.
Last Friday, the judge of the Preparatory Investigation Court for Corruption cases of officials of the Superior Court of Justice of Arequipa, Janet Lastra Ramírez, suspended Víctor Zanabria in 18 months of his functions in the PNP.
Arriola is not without criticism. Sources of Peru21 They point out that internally, in the PNP, there is discontent of some sectors for the role assumed by the Lieutenant General during the management of Dina Boluarte. “Their behavior is contradictory. Like Santiváñez (Minister of Justice) everything goes to upload,” they say.
The Víctor Zanabria case and the ‘Las Lasa Police’
The suspension request was made by the provincial prosecutor Arturo Marcos Valencia Paiva, of the fourth office of the Prosecutor’s Office specialized in Corruption Crimes of Arequipa officials.
The Sunday Panorama He collected the declaration of the largest PNP Claudia del Castillo, former head of the Arequipa Green Squadron, who stated before the Anti -Corruption Prosecutor’s Office that received direct orders from Zanabria during his management as head of the Arequipa police region in 2020 for police officers who officially containing patrol work on foot, carry out construction work in the chapel and the casino of the police region.
According to the statement, the then police chief requested personnel with knowledge in masonry, electricity or gasfiteria, indicating that they would be assigned under the role of patrol.
In addition, the testimony of Claver Colquehuanca, a mason teacher of the work, reinforced the tax hypothesis about the alleged diversion and improper appropriation of funds in the police remodeling work. According to his statement before the Public Ministry, he received a transfer of more than 17 thousand soles – which exceeded what was agreed – and, by consulting for the difference he told General Zanabria: “This amount does not correspond to me.” The officer would have answered: “Do not worry, you make the collection of what corresponds to you and the rest you give it to me.”
