The leader of Free Peru (PL), Vladimir Cerron Rojas has been in hiding for over nine months. Since October 2023, there has been an arrest warrant for him to serve a sentence of three years and six months in prison for corruption linked to the Wanka Aerodrome Case, stemming from his time as the governor of Junín. During this period, Cerrón, who regularly communicates through social media, has evaded the National Police of Peru (PNP), which has conducted at least nine operations to apprehend him.
Former Police Chief Responds to Why Vladimir Cerrón Has Not Been Captured
During the time General Jorge Angulo Tejada served as the general commander of the PNP (from March 2023 to January 2024), at least five operations were unsuccessful due to alleged leaks of information to Cerrón. After Angulo departed from the PNP, four additional operations took place in various cities, as reported by sources from Trade.
In an interview with this newspaper, Angulo addressed this issue for the first time. When asked who might be behind the leaks of information regarding operations to capture the former governor, he stated: “We suspect that high-ranking government officials are involved in the investigation. They are protecting Mr. Cerrón. There is no other explanation because no other organization would have any interest in this unless they are part of the government to prevent his capture.”
General Jorge Angulo when he was still active. (Photo: Andina)
The former police chief mentioned that a restricted group of police officers, including himself, the then head of the PNP Intelligence Directorate, General Mauricio Quiroga, and the former head of the National Intelligence Directorate (DINI), General Roger Arista, managed the leads on Cerrón’s whereabouts. President Dina Boluarte and the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, Enrique Vílchez Vílchez, were also part of this group. “The president showed great interest in being updated on every action we took.” [to capture Cerrón],” Angulo noted.
He recalled visiting the Government Palace three times (and once to the office of the now former Minister of the Interior, Vicente Romero) to update Boluarte on the intelligence operations aimed at apprehending the former governor. “Mr. Enrique Vílchez, the Secretary General of the Palace, was present at all those meetings,” he added.
“The president, as the supreme commander of the Armed Forces and the PNP, is entitled to receive information, and therefore, that information must be provided to her.”
Enrique Vílchez (left) and Dina Boluarte at the Government Palace after their meetings with various parties in December 2022.
/
Angulo expressed his belief that “there are individuals within the same administration who have complete information about how this information has been leaked through the government to prevent Cerrón’s capture.”
Records of visits to the Government Palace confirm Angulo’s meetings with Boluarte on four occasions: October 20 and December 14, 21, and 27, 2023. Each time, he was received by Vílchez.
According to Angulo, Vílchez made notes during the meetings.
Additionally…
Enrique Vílchez’s affiliation with the Boluartes
Attorney Enrique Vílchez Vílchez, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, accompanied President Dina Boluarte to critical meetings with General Jorge Angulo while he was Commander General of the National Police of Peru.
Vílchez assumed his position in December 2022, shortly after Boluarte was sworn in as president.
Previously, the lawyer worked alongside Boluarte during her tenure as Minister of Development and Social Inclusion under the government of Pedro Castillo. Vílchez served as secretary general in this office, which Boluarte left in November 2022.
The connection between Vílchez and the Boluarte family dates back several years. Between 2017 and 2018, he collaborated with Nicanor Boluarte, the brother of the president, at the National Training Service for the Construction Industry (Sencico).
At that time, Nicanor Boluarte held the position of general manager at that entity. Two months after Vílchez arrived, in April 2017, he was appointed head of the general secretary’s office.
Furthermore, between 2019 and 2021, Vílchez served as an advisor and later as manager of the Municipality of Pueblo Libre (Lima), an entity that subsequently hired Nicanor Boluarte as an advisor to the mayoral office of the same district administration.
Without results
On December 23, 2023, a police intelligence team received information that Cerrón sought asylum at the Bolivian Embassy in Peru, located in San Isidro. Several police officers surrounded the area. It was never confirmed whether the former governor was at the diplomatic mission.
Image from when the Police were outside the Bolivian Embassy.
Angulo explained that, during Christmas, the police and DINI acquired valuable information about Cerrón’s whereabouts: he was planning to travel through Ticlio (in the Huarochirí province, Lima) to reach Huancayo (Junín) by car.
“General Roger Arista arrived at Ticlio because the information was accurate. We knew the identity of the vehicle transporting the fugitive. […] He [Arista] was at a critical point on the Huancayo highway, but the vehicle never passed. So it is assumed that someone leaked the information.”
Angulo stated that these operational details were relayed to Boluarte. “Everything was reported to the Palace because the President of the Republic herself expressed significant interest in the capture.”
On December 27, the police raided the Los Gochis estate, located in a town in Chaycabamba (Jauja province, Junín), where Cerrón was allegedly staying. The raided property belongs to Carina Palacios Quincho, who served as Peru’s ambassador to Bolivia from 2021 to 2023. “The new mattress and the bed were present. The person was not there; he had not arrived. We entered and prepared the report to give permission to the citizen residing at that property,” said Angulo.
The bed that would have been made available to Cerrón at the Los Gochis estate.
/
Following these unsuccessful attempts, the general decided to create a small task force of police officers dedicated to capturing the former governor, without sharing any leads with political authorities.
As a result, on January 12, 2024, the fourth police operation aimed at apprehending the PL leader occurred: a house was raided in Ventanilla (Callao). However, only party banners were discovered there.
Propaganda from Peru Libre found in a house in Ventanilla.
/
For the fifth time, on January 17, indicated information regarding Cerrón’s location surfaced. The then head of DINI had pinpointed his location: he had moved from Chincha (Ica) to the Mikonos condominium, situated at kilometer 107 of the Panamericana Sur highway, in the district of Asia (Cañete, Lima Province). “The information was reliable and confirmed. That same night, we executed the operation to secure the area. By dawn, there was already a TV channel covering the situation,” Angulo mentioned.
- PNP conducts operation to search for fugitive in Asia condominium
Mikonos Condominium, in Asia (Cañete), where Cerrón supposedly hid.
/
Additionally…
Boluarte and Peru Libre
In the 2021 general elections, Dina Boluarte was part of Pedro Castillo’s presidential ticket for Peru Libre. She ran as the first vice president of the Republic.
The current president was also a member of the party led by Vladimir Cerrón. She joined in 2020, according to Infogob. In January 2022, she left the political group.
Peru Libre also ran a candidate for Mayor of Surquillo in 2018 (when it was known as Peru Libertario) and for Congress in the 2020 elections.
Departures
On January 21, Arista was relieved of his duties as head of DINI. The following day, Boluarte’s administration dismissed Angulo, citing serious misconduct and an increase in crime during his tenure as head of the PNP.
- Ministry of the Interior reassigns the directors of Intelligence and Environment of the Police
Angulo claimed that he was never informed of what the serious misconduct was and that no disciplinary process was initiated against him. He believes the motives for his departure from the PNP were different. “My hypothesis is that we were perhaps too close to capturing Cerrón, and we might have posed a threat to the situation of this fugitive, as well as to the interests of those shielding or protecting him to avoid his apprehension.”
Additionally…
Appeal for protection
In February of this year, two weeks after his removal as the commander general of the Peruvian National Police, Jorge Angulo filed an appeal regarding his retirement.
That month, Angulo told Trade that his intention with this appeal was to achieve reinstatement as head of the PNP, and once reinstated, he would resign. “I want to leave with dignity [from the institution] and for this resolution to be amended,” he remarked at that time.
Angulo informed this newspaper that a judge’s decision on the appeal is expected next week.
He stated that Boluarte had received “privileged information” from “intelligence channels” regarding the search for the PL leader, but that she had no genuine interest in his capture. “Where is Mr. Cerrón right now, and who is protecting him? […] At some point, the truth will be revealed.”
Regarding Angulo’s statements, the press office of the Presidency of the Republic issued a statement to Trade via email. In this denial, it stated that there was “absolutely no interference in the search, location, and capture of any fugitive from justice.” It also reiterated that “this task is the responsibility of the National Police of Peru.”
The document further stated: “Any action to apprehend a fugitive from justice must be coordinated by the Peruvian National Police with the agency that issued the order. The former general commander of the PNP, Jorge Luis Ángulo Tejada, should have promptly reported any unusual situation affecting the enforcement of the judicial order to the corresponding court.”
Finally, the Executive reiterated “its respect for the independence of powers, the rule of law, and compliance with judicial mandates.”
Additionally…
Statements by the Minister of the Interior
Regarding the capture of Vladimir Cerrón, Interior Minister Juan José Santiváñez declared on Thursday 18 that the Executive “is engaged in continuous police operations because our mission is to locate him.”
Days earlier, he stated that the judiciary took five hours to approve a search warrant for a residence in Huancayo where the leader of Peru Libre was reportedly hiding.
Later, the president of the Judiciary, Javier Arévalo, remarked: “I’ll just say one thing. The incompetence of another sector cannot be attributed to us. We do not arrest individuals, I want that to be clear.”
Luis Miguel Mayhua, Cerrón’s lawyer, told this newspaper: “I understand that these are speculations and comments. I do not believe that this situation is occurring.”
Vladimir Cerrón Rojas: The Hiding Leader of Free Peru
The leader of Free Peru, Vladimir Cerrón Rojas, has been in hiding for more than nine months. An arrest warrant has been in effect since October 2023 for his involvement in corruption related to the Wanka Aerodrome Case, which links back to his management as governor of Junín. Despite this, Cerrón has evaded capture by actively communicating through social media while authorities, including the National Police of Peru (PNP), have conducted at least nine operations to apprehend him.
The Background of the Case
Vladimir Cerrón, a prominent figure in Peruvian politics, rose to notoriety due to corruption charges arising during his tenure as governor. The Wanka Aerodrome Case has led to a sentence of three years and six months in effective prison. Cerrón’s attempts to evade the law have not only put him in the public eye but have also raised significant questions about political influence and law enforcement in Peru.
Allegations of Information Leaks
During the command of General Jorge Angulo Tejada at the PNP, operations aimed at capturing Cerrón were reportedly compromised by leaks of information. In an interview, Angulo suggested that high-ranking officials within the government may be obstructing the efforts to capture Cerrón, emphasizing that “there is no other way out because what interest could any other organization have?”
Key Players in the Investigation
| Name | Position | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Vladimir Cerrón | Leader of Free Peru | In hiding since October 2023 |
| Jorge Angulo Tejada | Former General Commander of the PNP | Led efforts to capture Cerrón |
| Dina Boluarte | President of Peru | Accused of involvement in cover-up |
| Enrique Vílchez | Secretary General of the Presidency | Involved in intelligence meetings |
Failed Capture Attempts
Throughout the period of Cerrón’s hiding, multiple operations have been undertaken. General Angulo reported that five failed attempts occurred due to leaks indicating Cerrón’s potential whereabouts. Subsequent operations took place in various locations, including a failed attempt at the Los Gochis estate, believed to be connected to Cerrón’s hiding.
Recent Developments in the Search
- December 23, 2023: A police intelligence team received information that Cerrón was attempting to seek asylum at the Bolivian Embassy
- January 12, 2024: A raid in Ventanilla found only party banners
- January 17, 2024: ANother reliable tip led police to the Mikonos condominium, where they unsuccessfully searched for Cerrón.
The Government’s Response
In light of the mounting pressure, President Dina Boluarte’s administration faced severe scrutiny. General Angulo highlighted meetings he had with Boluarte concerning the operations to capture Cerrón, suggesting that she had keen insight into the operations that should have been kept confidential. In turn, the presidency issued statements claiming there was no interference in police operations.
Political Influence and Protection
Angulo openly speculated about the existence of a protective network around Cerrón, indicating that the leaks might be orchestrated by those who would benefit from his continued absence from justice. He pointed to the close personal and political ties between Cerrón and current government officials, suggesting these connections played a role in obstructing the investigation.
Public Reaction and Concerns
The public’s response to Cerrón’s evasion has been mixed, with many expressing concern over the apparent flaws within the justice system and the potential politicization of law enforcement efforts. Citizens fear this situation underscores a larger issue of corruption that may pervade the current political climate in Peru.
Looking Forward: Implications for Governance
The ongoing saga of Vladimir Cerrón not only captures the interest of the media but also raises essential questions about governance, accountability, and the rule of law in Peru. As officials attempt to navigate this complex issue, the intersection of politics and law enforcement will continue to remain in the spotlight.
Final Thoughts
As emergent details unfold regarding the investigation and attempts at arresting Cerrón, it will be critical for citizens and policymakers alike to engage in a meaningful discussion about the implications of this situation on democracy and governance in Peru. The outcomes of this case could set precedence for future governance and political accountability.
