(Lima) The President of Peru Dina Boluarte was questioned on Tuesday by the prosecutor responsible for the investigation into the repression of the demonstrations which followed the ousting of her predecessor and left around fifty dead in three months.
Mme Boluarte, who replaced Pedro Castillo in December, dismissed by Parliament, appeared for almost an hour and a half to respond to “the investigation into the deaths of citizens that occurred during the social mobilizations of December 2022 and January 2023”, said the prosecution.
The presidency said on Twitter, without further details, that Mr. Boluarte “made statements regarding the investigations”.
The 60-year-old president arrived at the courthouse smiling, heavily escorted, according to images shared on social networks by the prosecution. No gathering of supporters or opponents was held outside the building in central Lima.
Mme Boluarte “wants to help uncover the truth,” his lawyer Kelly Montenegro told the newspaper. El Comercio.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation against Mr.me Boluarte on January 10 for alleged offenses of “genocide, aggravated homicide and serious bodily harm” during anti-government protests in which 54 people died, including six soldiers who drowned over the weekend trying to flee hundreds of protesters attacking them.
According to the ombudsman’s office, 1,300 people were also injured, almost half of them men in uniform.
Several ministers and former ministers of his government are also targeted by this investigation.
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Peru is embroiled in a serious political and social crisis which erupted on December 7 with the ousting and imprisonment of the former left-wing president, replaced by his vice-president.
Mr. Castillo, 53, is accused of having attempted a coup d’etat by wanting to dissolve the Assembly which was preparing to oust him from power.
In a separate hearing, the ex-president appeared on Tuesday after the prosecution’s request to extend his pre-trial detention from 18 to 36 months.
The prosecution wishes to add the charges of “criminal organization, collusion and influence peddling” to that of “rebellion” and “conspiracy” already retained.
“I strongly and categorically deny being responsible and being part of a criminal network,” Mr. Castillo said during the virtual hearing. “The only crime I committed was to serve my country as President of the Republic,” added the former head of state, who says he feels “kidnapped”.
His fall after 17 months at the head of the country triggered violent clashes between demonstrators supporting him and the police.
Besides the resignation of Mr.me Boluarte, the protesters demand the dissolution of Parliament and the holding of early elections in 2023.