Peru police raid Boluarte's home in search of undisclosed luxury items
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If Boluarte is indicted, she will not face a trial until her term ends in July 2026 unless she is impeached, according to the Constitution.
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Police and prosecutors stand outside President Dina Boluarte's house during a raid in Lima, Peru, on Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP)
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte's home was raided by police on Saturday as part of a corruption investigation related to Rolex watches that Boluarte did not publicly declare.
A police document obtained by AFP shows that around 40 officials partook in the raid, which police said was "of search and seizure," but she did not appear to be home at the time.
The investigation was launched this month after news outlet La Encerrona released pictures of her wearing luxury watches at public events in December 2022, when she took office.
The raid was broadcast on the local television channel Latina.
The surprise raid was requested by the public prosecutor and authorized by the Supreme Court of Preparatory Investigation, which came after Boluarte's request for more time to answer a subpoena was denied. The subpoena demanded her to show proof that she purchased the watches.
If Boluarte is indicted, she will not face a trial until her term ends in July 2026 unless she is impeached, according to the Constitution.
The government comptroller announced that Boluarte's asset declarations from the past two years were to be reviewed to locate any irregularities, while Boluarte defended herself by saying, "I entered the Government Palace with clean hands, and I will leave it with clean hands."
Read more: Peruvian organizations call for popular mobilization against Boluarte
When asked how she could afford such expensive items on a public salary, she claimed it was due to her hard work since she was 18 years old.
Peru has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily demonstrations since December 7 last year, when then-president Pedro Castillo was arrested after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree and his then-Vice President Boluarte took over.
Since the start of the protests, over 50 people have been killed during clashes with the police. The opposition held Boluarte responsible for these deaths. She is also being investigated for money laundering and suspicious finances for her campaign during the 2021 elections that brought Castillo to power, but she denies the accusations.
