LIMA, Peru: Peruvian President Dina Boluarte Saturday slammed an overnight police raid of her home and the presidential palace as part of a corruption probe into how she obtained Rolex watches.
A defiant Boluarte termed the raid early morning arbitrary, disproportionate and abusive. She was addressing to the nation. “The measure taken early this morning is arbitrary, disproportionate and abusive.”
The raids were in connection with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte publicly wearing Rolex watches.
Television footage showed authorities with a metal bar breaking down the door of Boluarte’s home in a case that has been under investigation for weeks amid questions about whether she had illegally obtained property while in power.
The highly unpopular Boluarte, who has been in power since December 2022, did not explain how he bought the watches, saying only that it was the result of hard work.
Ms Boluarte’s lawyer said police found the watches in her office at the government palace.
The lawyer further said that the police didn’t take them, they were noted and took pictures of them. There were about 10, some of them amazing, but he was not sure if these were Rolexes.
Boluarte said she will not address the matter publicly until she files an affidavit with prosecutors on April 5.
Boluarte, who was vice president under then-president Pedro Castillo and minister of development in 2021, was photographed wearing a luxury watch at a public event on the news programme.
Saturday’s raid was a joint operation between the police and the prosecutor’s office and was broadcast on local TV channel Latina.
Government officials cordoned off homes in Lima’s Sorquillo neighborhood, and police were seen blocking oncoming traffic.
This raid was carried out at the request of the prosecutor and the approval of the Supreme Court of Investigation.
Prosecutors also want to know if she reported the Rolex watches on her income statement.
