Lima, Peru — Over the weekend, Peru’s Public Ministry raided the home of the country’s Interior Minister, Juan José Santibáñez, as part of an investigation into alleged abuse of authority.
Additionally, the Public Ministry has requested a travel ban for the minister. However, Santibáñez had already traveled to Europe to attend a conference in Belgium and The Hague, Netherlands.
Despite the accusations against him, President Dina Boluarte defended her minister. During her presentation at the Emergency Operations Center (COEN), the president questioned the actions of the Public Ministry and suggested that the raid was part of a strategy to weaken her government.
“They can raid the homes of all the ministers if they want, they can raid the offices of all the ministers if the Public Ministry orders it, which is playing along with this bad press to stage a coup,” Boluarte declared in a press conference.
Lawyer and former anti-corruption prosecutor Martín Salas stated on Monday that President Boluarte’s attitude and her Cabinet’s response to the investigations into the Interior Minister reflect “desperation” and an attempt to obstruct justice.
“Definitely [Boluarte] is desperate and scared, and has no better tool than to attack both the judicial system and public information media,” he declared. He also pointed out that the president’s statements against the Public Ministry are a clear attempt to obstruct the investigation. “This warrants a constitutional complaint,” he affirmed.
The investigation into Santibáñez is based on a two-and-a-half-hour audio given to the Public Ministry by National Police Captain Junior Izquierdo. In the recording, the minister allegedly confesses that Boluarte made the deactivation of the Directorate Against Corruption of the National Police (Diviac) a condition in order for him to take on the Interior Ministry. This revelation led to a court order to raid his home and ministerial office.
José Carlos Mejía, lawyer for Captain Izquierdo, sharply criticized the Interior Minister and questioned his claim that the investigation was based on “gossip.”
“If the preparatory investigation judge ruled that the search request was justified, is the judge also acting wrongly, according to the minister’s hypothesis?” the lawyer asked in an interview with Peru21 TV.
The lawyer also warned about a possible attempt by the Executive Branch to weaken the Public Ministry. He highlighted the role of the independent press in revealing alleged corruption cases and urged international organizations to remain vigilant regarding the situation in Peru.
“Thanks to the press, the public can learn about corruption acts in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. It is concerning that the media are being accused of colluding with the Public Ministry to stage a coup,” he stated.
Recently, another accusation against Santibáñez was revealed, this time concerning actions prior to his tenure as minister. Two protected witnesses testified before the Public Ministry that Santibáñez, in his role as a lawyer, allegedly requested $60,000 to influence judicial decisions.
The case is still under investigation and is generating controversy, while Boluarte’s government faces a growing institutional crisis.