Peru investigates president Castillo over links to ‘criminal network’

Lima Archyde.com
Peru’s public prosecutor announced Sunday that he will include President Pedro Castillo in an investigation into alleged crimes including influence-peddling and collusion with a “criminal network”.
Prosecutors said on Twitter that Pablo Sanchez, the country’s attorney general, would lead the investigation into Castillo given the “seriousness of the charges” contained in an investigation once morest former Transport and Communications Minister Juan Silva and six opposition lawmakers.
The attorney general began working on the case more than three weeks ago, to determine whether there was an alleged “criminal network” in the ministry to award public contracts. According to statements by a businesswoman linked to the government, President Castillo was aware of the network.
“The president will be guaranteed to fully exercise his right to defense and respect Article 117 of the constitution,” the public prosecutor said on Twitter.
Peruvian presidents enjoy immunity, and the courts cannot indict them during their five-year term, but they can be investigated. The “preliminary” investigation once morest Castillo comes at a time when he faces other investigations into allegations of corruption, in addition to a significant decline in his popularity, following only nine months in office. Further investigations once morest Castillo were suspended until the end of his term in 2026.
At the end of last March, Castillo survived a congressional vote to file formal charges once morest him with the aim of impeachment.