The former councilor of the Provincial Municipality of Cusco, Jackelin Zúñiga, ratified her public complaint against the former adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Trade (Mincetur), Daniel Abarca and congressman from Peru Libre, Guido Bellido, for allegedly having violated her privacy. She accused Abarca of sending a nude photograph of her to Bellido, who would have replied to the message with an emoticon.
Zúñiga maintained that the photograph in question was taken in private when he was a partner of the former Mincetur adviser and that he never authorized it to be shown. He says that the event occurred a month ago in Lima, Daniel Abarca, went out at night with Guido Bellido. The next day, he checked his partner’s cell phone and there he found that his photograph had been sent to the former premier accompanied by the message: “Look at what I earned last night.”
“When I saw on the cell phone that my ex-partner had sent him this image, the man (Guido Bellido) had responded with a coca leaf, as a sign of acceptance. It would be good to ask him if it is normal for him to be sent these types of photographs. Is not correct. No one can invade the privacy, violate the intimacy of a woman, “he questioned.
Abarca served in 2015 as alderman of the Provincial Municipality of Cusco. Against him also weighs a complaint for alleged psychological and sexual violence against the current complainant, a process to which he would add the crime for the dissemination of intimate images. According to the Ombudsman’s Office, this last crime is typified in article 154-B, punishable by no less than three nor more than six years in cases where the victim has maintained a relationship with the agent or has used any means of dissemination. massive. Since 2018, revealing audiovisual material with sexual content, without authorization, is a punishable offense in Peru.
Bellido was involved in this story for supposedly accepting the message. In an interview with a national media outlet, the ex-premier denied the accusation. “He is not my friend (Daniel Abarca). I have never received any photos. I have nothing to do with Mr. Abarca. He has sometimes sent me messages, as hundreds of people send me, nothing more, ”he said.
These statements motivated Zúñiga’s response. “He (Guido Bellido) says it’s a lie, but I have the proof. The prosecution must ask. Did Mr. (Guido Bellido) ask for those photos? Did Mr. approve of these photos? Now (Guido Bellido) says that he doesn’t know him (Daniel Abarca). They were friends and went out to parties, ”he accused.
Zúñiga insisted that Abarca and Bellido maintain a friendship and that thanks to this, his former partner obtained the position of adviser in the National Executive. The former councilor showed some WhatsApp messages between Bellido and Abarca that would demonstrate the close relationship. “When I enter the cell phone (of Daniel Abarca) and see an intimate photograph of me, it was very shocking. To this day that seems like a nightmare to me. How many times has he sent him? Questions that came to my mind and the only thing I did is take photos of all the conversations between the two to have evidence because I knew that when I reported it, they were going to deny it as they are doing. I took the photos to WhatsApp in self-defense, ”she narrated. ❖
Our media obtained the version of the congressman from Cusco, who assures that this complaint is part of a demolition campaign to affect his political image. “I have nothing to do with his personal issues. It seems to me that it is a conspiracy between her and her husband against me. They are plotting a false fight with the aim of damaging my image because her complaint should be against her husband and not against me. It seems that the lady has problems with me. I don’t even know the lady, ”he pointed out.
Regarding the WhatsApp that would prove his relationship with the former Mincetur adviser, he pointed out that they are protocol conversations that have nothing to do with the complaint. “Like thousands who write each month, I answer you, I write to you with kindness, brother, friend, I flatly reject having received any photo,” he concluded. He announced that he will take legal action against the whistleblower for involving him.
The Ombudsman’s Office ruled
“We ask Congress to thoroughly analyze the victim’s complaint (…) The Ethics Commission must investigate the actions or omissions that Congressman Bellido would have incurred. In the same way, we demand that the Legislature show the utmost diligence and commitment to investigate and sanction cases related to situations of gender violence involving its members.
