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Government agents raid Peruvian President Boluarte's residence in luxury watch investigation

Police guard outside President Dina Boluarte's house during a raid ordered by the Attorney General's Office aimed at seizing Rolex watches as part of a preliminary investigation into alleged illicit enrichment in Lima, Peru, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Police guard outside President Dina Boluarte's house during a raid ordered by the Attorney General's Office aimed at seizing Rolex watches as part of a preliminary investigation into alleged illicit enrichment in Lima, Peru, Saturday, March 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
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LIMA, Peru -

Peruvian police busted through the front door of President Dina Boluarte鈥檚 house with a battering ram overnight in search of luxury watches as part of an investigation into possible illicit enrichment.

Police had waited in vain for several minutes for someone to open the door late Friday, as dozens of armed officers carrying ballistic shields and batons looked on. After their raid around midnight, officers went to the presidential palace where, this time, they were admitted without resorting to force.

The country is accustomed to seeing searches in the homes of former presidents, but this marked the first time in Peru鈥檚 history that police forcibly entered the home of a sitting president. Raids on the presidential palace had happened before.

Boluarte is being preliminarily investigated for allegedly acquiring an undisclosed collection of luxury watches since becoming vice president and social inclusion minister in July 2021, and then president in December 2022.

Boluarte鈥檚 lawyer, Mateo Casta帽eda, told radio station RPP on Saturday morning that police even searched under the carpets at the presidential palace, and found approximately 10 鈥渘ice鈥 watches.

鈥淪taff from the Government Palace completely facilitated the diligence requested by the Attorney General鈥檚 Office, which was carried out normally and without incident,鈥 Peru鈥檚 presidency said in a message Saturday morning on X, formerly Twitter.

In an unusual interview during the early hours, Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianz茅n told RPP radio that he considered the raid 鈥渋llegal and unconstitutional.鈥

Adrianz茅n added that 鈥渁 storm was being generated where there is none鈥 and the work of the prosecution is causing 鈥減olitical noise that affects investments.鈥

Boluarte has not commented on Friday鈥檚 searches.

Boluarte intially claimed ownership of at least one Rolex as a long-held possession and urged the media not to delve into personal matters, during a press conference in March.

Earlier in the week, Attorney General Juan Villena criticized Boluarte鈥檚 request to delay her appearance before the court for two weeks, emphasizing her obligation to cooperate with the investigation.

In the interview with RPP, Boluarte鈥檚 lawyer, Casta帽eda, did not say how many of the watches found in the palace were Rolex watches.

Political turmoil is nothing new in Peru, which has seen six presidents in the last six years. But many see Boluarte鈥檚 recent statements as contradicting her earlier pledge to speak truthfully to prosecutors, exacerbating a political crisis stemming from her unexplained ownership of Rolex watches.

The Attorney General emphasized Boluarte鈥檚 obligation to promptly produce the three Rolex watches for investigation, cautioning against their disposal or destruction.

Boluarte, a 61-year-old lawyer, ascended from a modest district official to vice president under President Pedro Castillo in July 2021, subsequently assuming the presidency in December 2022 following Castillo's impeachment after he attempted to dissolve congress and rule by decree.

At least 49 people were killed in the protests that followed.

Critics accuse Boluarte鈥檚 government of taking an increasingly authoritarian bent as it staves off demands for early elections and works with members of congress on laws that threaten to undermine the independence of Peru鈥檚 judicial system.

Boluarte will testify to the prosecutor鈥檚 office next Friday, April 5, Casta帽eda told RPP.

Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro.

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