corruption
Raid in the presidential palace: Will a Rolex bring down the head of state of Peru?
The President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, likes expensive watches – that’s now getting her into a lot of trouble
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Peru’s President Dina Boluarte has a penchant for luxurious watches and expensive jewelry – and she wears it proudly. It is precisely this vanity that could cost the politician her office.
Politicians and their watches, that’s a thing. Annalena Baerbock received a shitstorm at the beginning of the year because she was accused of wearing an unreasonably expensive Cartier watch on her wrist. A lot of noise about nothing, because it was actually a cheap Casio model. Now another politician has caused displeasure with her choice of watch, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte. In contrast to Baerbock, she actually has a preference for luxurious watches and expensive jewelry – and that could now be the president’s downfall. The accusation: corruption. Did the politician enrich herself unlawfully and not correctly declare her assets?
The Boluarte case began in mid-March after a news site reported that the president had built up a suspiciously large watch collection since taking office in 2022. Local news outlets then reported three different Rolex watches that she was said to have worn, as well as a Cartier bracelet that alone was worth $50,000. In addition, around $300,000 had already been deposited into her private accounts before she took office. It is not known where the money comes from.
Suspicion of corruption: Dina Boluarte refuses to provide information
That made the public prosecutor’s office sit up and take notice. She now suspects that Boluarte violated the law of unjust enrichment. She also accuses the president of not legally declaring assets. Elected officials of the Peruvian government must declare assets valued at approximately $2,800 or more. All gifts from third parties must also be mentioned. The fact that presidents in Peru are investigated for corruption is more the rule than the exception – it affected all but one of the country’s ex-presidents who are still alive.
Boluarte himself denies having committed a criminal offense. She said loudly that she had worked for everything she had “New York Times” at. And: “It’s written in my DNA not to be corrupt.” The problem: As president, Boluarte earns a little more than $4,000 a month; as a minister, she previously earned about twice as much, as the New York Times reports. There are also explanations from others that seem dubious. Housing Minister Hania Pérez de Cuéllar suspected that one of the criticized Rolex watches was a counterfeit. Boluarte’s lawyer brought up an anonymous fan who had given Boluarte the watch.
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Future of Peru’s president is shaky
Dina Boluarte was actually supposed to appear at the public prosecutor’s office last week to show the three Rolex watches that she is said to have worn at public events. It should also be clarified how she came into possession of the expensive watches. But Boluarte didn’t come. She also refused to let prosecutors into her house with a search warrant.
At the weekend, the police and public prosecutor’s office came with a battering ram and searched Boluarte’s house and the presidential palace. A search that the Minister of Justice Eduardo Arana described as “unconstitutional”. He spoke of an attempt to destabilize the government. The economic situation in Peru is considered tense and Boluarte is not very popular. As the New York Times reports, a survey at the beginning of the year showed that she only had an approval rating of nine percent. She is also being investigated for “genocide, aggravated murder and grievous bodily harm.” As a result of her taking office, riots broke out in which more than 50 people were killed. Experts suspect that the Rolex affair could now bring down the president. In any case, the attempt to initiate impeachment proceedings failed in Congress.