On the eve of the initial deadline, the country’s prosecutor, Patricia Benavides, issued this Monday a provision to extend for eight months the period of the preliminary investigation that was opened against the president, Dina Boluarte, for crimes committed during social protests in December 2022 and January 2023.
A similar decision was adopted for the others investigated: the premier Alberto Otarola, the former premier Pedro Angulo Arana, the Minister of Defense, Jorge Chávez Cresta, the Minister of Interior, Vicente Romero Fernandez, and the former ministers in the same portfolio, César Cervantes and Victor Rojas Herrera.
They all face investigation for alleged crimes against humanity, in the form of genocide, in addition to crimes against life, limb, and health, in the form of qualifying execution.
Pending processes
Juan José Quispeattonney at Legal Defense Institute (IDL)It should be remembered that in September there were an additional 45 days that were arranged to be extraordinary in the investigation, and now the deadline has been formally extended for eight months.
He specified that, among future processes, it is planned to take the statements of 27 relatives of the victims in addition to the 241 injured and 27 witnesses, including officials and public servants.
The expansion of the testimony of Manuel Gómez de la Torre, head of the joint command of the Armed Forces, who stated that in Boluarte, yes, he was aware of the military actions during the protests
“This expansion must happen. It is important that the final responsibility is determined, as a commission by omission, on the part of Mrs. Boluarte and her ministers; especially if one takes into account the account they took into consideration of the expansion of the declaration of Manuel Gomez de la Torre, who said that Mrs. Boluarte really knew about the events, and (former Minister of the Interior) César Cervantes, who testified that Mrs. Boluarte and Otárola met daily from December 10 to 20, 2022, which lasted in their positions,” commented the lawyer Juan José Quispe.
