Congresswoman’s Romantic Relationship and Hiring Scandal: Legal Implications and Investigation Updates

2024-01-08 15:15:00

After publicly denying it, the congresswoman and third vice president of Parliament, Rosselli Amuruz (Avanza País), finally confirmed that she does have a romantic relationship with former legislator Paul García. There would be nothing wrong with the relationship itself, if it were not for the fact that people close to his current partner—among them, his own sister—were hired in different positions in Congress, as El Comercio revealed, and for which the prosecutor’s office opened an investigation. investigation.

“It is the only time I am going to talk regarding a personal issue, because if I am not mistaken it is the first time that they have given so much importance to an intimate political issue. […] In fact, he was in New York, and so was I. Currently we are a couple,” Amuruz told Canal N, following learning that they traveled to the United States (USA) on New Year’s Eve.

The Avanza País legislator also pointed out that “at the time” she did consult García, a former legislator from Acción Popular, “if he knew suitable people” and “who meet the minimum or maximum requirements (sic) of Congress so that “They can join me in my management.” Although she denied that he had given her a list of names and said that she told him that she does know “but the ideal thing” is for her to conduct interviews herself, which she says happened.

However, last October, and following the scandal over the party in Lince in which Amuruz participated and which ended with the murder of a person, the legislator had denied having a romantic relationship with García, whom she said she had met “approximately ago.” regarding four or five months ago.” “I don’t have a romantic relationship, we are neither a married couple nor cohabitants nor boyfriends. […] I would have no problem being able to affirm that there is an official relationship. But there isn’t one,” he said.

The tragic episode in Lince also opened the way to learning that at least eight people close to García had been hired in offices linked to Amuruz or that they had been hired at her request, as El Comercio revealed last October. Among them was even García’s sister, Alejandra García Oviedo.

Due to this fact, the prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation for alleged incompatible negotiation or improper use of the position, which remains in force until now, as confirmed by El Comercio sources. Other sources indicated that even the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is involved in the case.

In Congress, however, the situation was different. At the end of November, the Parliamentary Ethics Commission approved a report that blocked a possible investigation once morest Amuruz, pointing out that the people hired “have no relationship by blood or affinity with the denounced congresswoman.”

“Their employment relationship might not be classified as legally prohibited, even though they belong to Mr. Paul García’s friends and because the hiring would have been carried out within the regulatory framework on the matter,” the case report stated.

According to a review of the latest personnel list available on the Congress web portal (November), at least three of the eight close friends of the former parliamentarian continue to work in Congress, one of them his former advisor Cenit Málaga. The rest of the people—including García’s sister—no longer appear in the list of workers.

NAMEPOSITION OCTOBER 2023NOVEMBER 2023TYPE OF RELATIONSHIPAlejandra Paola García OviedoAdvisor in the Area of ​​Legislative QualityNOSister of Paul GarcíaErik Alexander Enrique TiradoAssistant in the Liaison Office with Regional Governments*YESBrother of the deceased in the Lince party and activist of Más Callao, the regional movement with that García ran for Chalaca mayor in 2022.Angie Gómez AcostaTechnician at the Liaison Office with Regional and Local Governments*SIWife of the deceased at the Lince partyRony Emir Enrique TiradoTechnician at the Special Commission Capital PerúNOBrother of the deceased at the Lince partyRocío Isabel Beltrán GarcíaTechnical Third Vice PresidencyNOFormer employee of Paul García’s office when he was a congressman in 2020-2021Cenit Málaga CarcasiAdvisor to the Third Vice PresidencyYES (Principal office advisor)Former employee of Paul García’s office when he was a congressman in 2020-2021Carmen Margarita Neyra JiménezAdvisor II in the office of Congresswoman AmuruzNOShe was a representative of the “Más Callao” Movement in 2022, when García ran for mayor of Callao.Karen Viviana Rojas BrandesAdvisor II of the Special Commission Capital PerúNOShe ran as councilor on the same list headed by Paul García*On the list of September, appeared in the Congressional Communications OfficeSource: Congress

“At the time when something so high-profile happened, I told the truth. I didn’t have a relationship. But I never dismissed the fact of knowing him. […] I took the time, this event happened and today I can tell you that I have a relationship. I am not afraid that this will open an investigation, because I am sincere. What can happen? Absolutely nothing,” Amuruz now pointed out. She also maintained that “we must respect” the investigation being carried out by the prosecutor’s office and its jurisdiction, although she said she felt “calm” regarding it.

Legal implications

For criminal lawyer Andy Carrión, this recognition by Amuruz might complicate his legal situation as it might “support” the investigation being carried out by the Public Ministry, “but for the alleged crime of influence peddling.” The latter – he remarked – following the strategy that has already been observed in other previous cases, such as that of former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez.

“The recognition of the romantic relationship by Amuruz would imply a real influence on the part of her lover, boyfriend, in contracts with the State. Because you are talking regarding hiring, not a job, not a service, but jobs within Congress. And for this it is also necessary to go through certain filters,” said Carrión.

The lawyer indicated that, although there is a certain margin of flexibility to hire trusted people, this does not exempt minimum procedures and requirements from being met. “Apparently the congressmen interpret that the position of trust implies absolute arbitrariness and in that arbitrariness they can hire whoever they want,” he questioned.

In addition, he also indicated that if Amuruz not only denied before the media but also before the authorities (be it the police or the prosecutor’s office) that there was a romantic relationship with García, it might be considered a “procedural fraud.”

For his part, criminal lawyer Vladimir Padilla stressed that the prosecution, in its investigation strategy, should be able to confirm whether those hired met the minimum profile to access the position, but above all also if the tasks were carried out. make.

“While it is true that it is the administration office that hires, it hires under someone’s proposal and under someone’s request. […] And the position of trust is not to choose whoever you want. It has to meet certain requirements,” Padilla also noted.

For his part, criminal lawyer Enrique Ghersi considered that if the relationship between Amuruz and García is simply sentimental and they do not live together or have a de facto union, the issue would not have greater “legal effect.” If the opposite is confirmed, “there would be a violation of the rule and the prosecutor’s office will have to investigate.”

“Just because a friend of your lover works in your office does not commit a crime; It would have to be proven that the lover influenced him to hire him; “It must be proven that the congresswoman actually hires these people as a result of a request from her partner,” she asserted.

Ghersi also agreed that if Amuruz not only denied García before the media but also before the authorities, he might face criminal consequences, because “it is a crime.”

“If she had officially declared before an authority, be it the police or the prosecutor’s office, that she did not have a relationship with this man and, later, acknowledges that she had a relationship, she has made a false statement which might have criminal consequences,” he noted.

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