The Sunday newspaper Cuarto Poder reported that the prosecutor Ángel Astocondorwho worked on the money laundering investigation against Dina Boluarte and Pedro Castillodeclared that the decisions of his superior, the provincial prosecutor Richard Rojaswould have benefited Dina Boluarte. According to Astocondor, Rojas ordered that the case of the president and former president Pedro Castillo be investigated separately from that of other defendants, such as Vladimir Cerrónin the case of the alleged criminal organization “The Dynamics of the Center“.
Rojas’ strategy, in November 2022, consisted of dividing the investigation into two groups. In one of them, it included Boluarte and Castlekeeping them in a preliminary phase without formalizing charges, while Cerrón and other members of the party were actively investigated for money laundering. This separation allowed the president, in her role as vice president and with a crucial role in the financial structure of Peru Libre, to avoid a preventive detention order.
Astocondorin his testimony, expressed surprise at Rojas’s decision to limit the investigation time, considering that the original period was 36 months. When asked if he was asked for his opinion on the matter, he indicated that it was not taken into account. Despite having reports from the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) on suspicious movements in the accounts of Boluarte ZegarraRojas chose to omit this data in his evaluation, which generated even more suspicions of a cover-up.
The FIU report revealed cash deposits for a total of one million ninety-seven thousand soles and two thousand two hundred dollars in Boluarte’s personal accounts between 2016 and 2022. According to the FIU, 64% of these income lacked economic justification. . The funds would have been channeled in support of the Peru Libre campaign, presumably to triangulate money from illicit activities of “Los Dinámicos del Centro.”
Statements by Dina Boluarte before the prosecution
In his testimony, Boluarte confirmed the opening of two accounts at the request of Richard Rojas, leader of Perú Libre, to collect money in support of Cerrón, who was facing a civil reparation debt. According to his statement, the funds collected in these accounts were transferred to Cerrón’s account in December 2020. Despite these admissions, the origin of the funds remains under scrutiny, lacking a clear explanation to support their origin.
Boluarte also confirmed to the Prosecutor’s Office that the communication between her and Vladimir Cerrón was direct
“I remember that I had a communication with Vladimir Cerrón when there was trembling in Mala, the man took out a twitter that Lima is already trembling and that they are going to proclaim as president Pedro Castillo. I did not find such words appropriate at all and I called him to tell him that he should not communicate in that way because what an earthquake… the first thing it gives us is fear and then solidarity with the people who could be affected. And those messages did not help at all when we are there facing the fraud that the lady said. Keikoto tell him that I called him. Currently, I do not have it registered on my cell phone.” was the investigative statement of the president Bolaurte.
Possible implications and future research
The case, which remains in the preliminary phase for Boluartebecomes more complicated with each revelation. The specialized prosecutor’s office continues to investigate the specific role of the president as person in charge of finances in Peru Libre. Despite interrogations, none of the witnesses have been able to refute the hypothesis that the funds used in the campaign came from illicit activities of the alleged criminal network.
