It is not yet known if it was for a few days or just a few hours. The truth is that it is presumed that Peru would have been left without a president of the Republic during a period – not yet defined – of 2023. Shortly after the end of the year, this fact, revealed last May by the weekly Hildebrandt on his thirteenthis once again positioned in the public eye after the statements of the former prime minister Alberto Otarola before the Congressional Oversight Commission about Dina Boluarte.
In this regard, the former head of the cabinet stated that, as the journalistic investigation indicated, the head of state underwent a “surgical procedure” during that period; However, he ruled out that this has caused him to be absent from office. That is, he denied what the presidential agenda shows: 12 days without official activities.
He’s not the only one. When the alleged constitutional violation was uncovered, some ministers came out to deny this accusation, while others remained silent.
Ministers did not even doubt Dina Boluarte
In the first group is the former head of the Ministry of Culture, Leslie Urtega. Although he left the Executive in September of this year, he led the mincul at the alleged moment of the cosmetic operation, in 2023, and also in May 2024, when it was publicly known.
Far from even being surprised by what was revealed, Urtega He dedicated himself to supporting his boss Dina Boluartewithout any question.
“I reject those statements, I don’t know who has told them about whether she is hiding or that she has left her duties, on the contrary, the president is always there,” he stated firmly during an interview on Canal N.
This medium communicated with the former head of the mincul to inquire about his position, however, he simply ended the call.
Unlike her, who has come out (and continued) standing up for the president Dina Boluarte He is the Minister of Health, Cesar Vasquez. He, like Urteagawas a member of the cabinet of ministers at the supposed time of the rhinoplasty and also when it was announced.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure that the president has had surgery. I have not seen, nor have I been informed of, any surgery during my professional practice as president, when I was already a minister. What I know, and I make it clear, is that the president never stopped carrying out her duties,” he told the press.
Likewise, the Minister of Education, Morgan Querodenied any presidential absence.
In May, the month in which the incident became known, I love Gaimemonopolized the media denying it. “At no time has the president been absent, she has always been on the lookout, she has signed all the documents and she has been governing at all times (…) There is an issue of the intimate, private sphere, but at no time was there an absence ”, he stated.
He expressed something similar, months later, after Alberto Otárola’s revelations: “The constitutional president of the Republic was always in charge of everything (…) she has never stopped working, she is always active, working, she is not absent, she has not taken no vacation, he has not had any space to rest,” he told RPP.
Prime Minister denies alleged omission of duties
In the same line as his colleagues, the prime minister, Gustavo Adrianzenresponded in May to speculation against the president and assured that she never left office. “The president of the republic has never been absent, ok. In fact, since I collaborate with her and alongside the ministers who now accompany me and the rest of the cabinet, we are exceptional witnesses of the effort that she constantly makes to attend different activities in person,” he indicated.
He maintained this position even when Alberto Otarola He said the opposite on December 3rd. “He has never abandoned his duties and much less has he left that responsibility on anyone,” he told the media.
Unlike this long list of ministerial support, the only one who has not commented on the matter is the protagonist of the incident: Dina Boluartewhose investiture continues to be stained by dozens of questions that become louder with their media silence.
