Written by Marco Aquino
LIMA (Reuters) – Peru's government bombed the president's home on Saturday. Dina Bolarte As part of an investigation into possible illegal enrichment and failure to declare ownership of luxury watches as “disproportionate and unconstitutional.”
Television footage showed police breaking down the door to Mr. Bolarte's residence on Friday night, apparently after he refused calls from authorities to open and allow evidence to be examined.
Bolarte's home is in Lima's Surquillo district, several kilometers from the government palace where he works.
Justice Minister Eduardo Arana said about 20 public prosecutor's office officials and 20 police officers searched Bolarte's home and then his palace on Saturday morning. Bolarte himself has not commented on the attack.
“Palace personnel provided all facilities for the requested diligence,” the presidential palace said on social media platform X, adding that operations were carried out “normally without any problems.”
However, Peruvian Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen criticized the attack. “The current political noise taking place is serious and has an impact on investments and the country as a whole,” he wrote in a letter to X. “What has happened in the last few hours is disproportionate and unconstitutional.” Ta.
Adrianzen said the president was in her official residence in the Government Palace and would give a statement to prosecutors if summoned. He told radio station RPP that it was “impossible” that his ministers or Mr Bolarte planned to resign.
Two weeks ago, prosecutors began a preliminary investigation after the Internet program “La Encelona'' reported that the president was in possession of several Rolex watches.
The investigation aimed to determine whether there were grounds for a formal investigation into the president.
Bolarte, who will become president in December 2022, admitted that he owns a Rolex watch and said he bought it with money he earned from a young age.
Bolarte said earlier this month that he enters the Oval Office with clean hands and leaves with clean hands.
Prosecutors unsuccessfully tried to inspect the clock in Bolarte's office last Wednesday, but her lawyers argued the diary schedules conflicted and asked for a change.
The investigation into Bolarte is the latest in a long history of investigations into Peru's president and senior officials.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Frances Kelly and Stephanie Eschenbacher; Editing by Helen Popper and Bill Berkrot)
