Lima, March 19 (RHC)-- Peru's Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered to open a preliminary investigation against President-designate Dina Boluarte for alleged illicit enrichment after she was accused of failing to declare in official documents the ownership of several luxury watches, including a Rolex watch.
Through its X account, the Peruvian Public Ministry communicated the opening of preliminary proceedings against Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, who was appointed as President of the Republic in December 2022, for the alleged commission of the crime of illicit enrichment and omission of declaration in documents, related to the use of Rolex brand watches.
According to a newspaper report published on March 14, the Peruvian president is said to own a luxurious collection of up to 14 watches, including a Rolex valued at US$ 14,000.
In response to the accusations, Boluarte told the local media that everything she owns is the result of her effort and work since she was 18 years old. When asked for more information about the luxury items, the president-designate avoided delving into the subject and asked not to get into personal matters.
Boluarte emphasized that she entered the Government Palace with clean hands and that is how she will leave, fulfilling her promise to the Peruvian people. She assured that her DNA is not marked by corruption.
Prior to her appointment as Minister of Social Inclusion, Boluarte held a position as an official in a district office of the National Identification Registry since 2007.
The Peruvian government refused to address this week whether Boluarte included her watches in her asset declaration. The president of Peru's Council of Ministers, Gustavo Adrianzén, stated that the president-designate has explicitly responded to the reports and that this is a personal issue that is not for her to address.
According to a report by La Encerrona, two sources confirmed the information to journalists. One of the sources had a meeting with Boluarte at the Government Palace and noticed her Rolex, while the other one works at the presidential headquarters and confirmed that the official uses such accessory.
The sources reviewed thousands of official photos of Boluarte, including her term as Minister of Development and Social Inclusion between 2021 and 2022, as well as videos of her public activities. In this way, they observed that most of the watches (10) began to be used during her term of office.
