(Lima) Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola announced his resignation on Tuesday, suspected of influence peddling after the revelation of audio recordings in the press.
“During a conversation with the President of the Republic, I announced my decision to resign,” Mr. Otarola said at a press conference.
In these recordings broadcast over the weekend on the television program Panorama of the Panamericana Television channel, Mr. Otarola speaks lovingly with a 25-year-old woman, Yazire Pinedo, who this year obtained two contracts from a total value of approximately $14,000 to perform archival and administrative work for the government.
“Tell me, then, my love, so we can talk,” a voice believed to be Mr. Otarola’s is heard saying. “You know these things are boring, they’re painful, but you also know I love you,” seemingly referring to the red tape involved in securing these contracts.
Mr. Otarola has denied any violation of Peruvian labor laws or other wrongdoing, and attributed the revelation of the recordings to his political opponents.
“I will of course submit to all investigations, but the opinion of the experts will be absolutely clear about the crude way in which these recordings were edited and presented to the public,” he added during the press conference.
Monday on the social network […] but I repeat that I have done nothing illegal.”
Tuesday, Mme Pinedo claimed the leaked conversations dated back to 2021, before he was minister, and acknowledged having a brief “perhaps romantic relationship” with him.
The prosecutor’s office announced the opening of an investigation into influence peddling. The opposition parties unanimously demanded the resignation of Mr. Otarola, 57, married and father of five children, in office since December 2022.