Peru's Prosecutor's Office begins proceedings to clarify what happened in the protests against the Boluarte government; the president welcomes the decision

Peru: first day of protests of 2023 3:39

(CNN Spanish) ––

The Presidency of Peru "greeted" the decision of the Prosecutor's Office that ordered to start "preliminary proceedings" to determine what happened during the protests after the departure of former President Pedro Castillo from power, according to a publication of his account Twitter.

In the text, the office assures that Dina Boluarte "will give all the corresponding facilities for the prompt clarification of the facts, as she has requested on repeated occasions."

An hour earlier, the Public Ministry, also on its Twitter account, had announced that it would collect information based on the complaints against President Boluarte, the Minister of Defense, Alberto Otárola, and the former Minister of the Interior, César Cervantes, after the deaths that occurred during the December demonstrations.

A source from the prosecutor's office told CNN that the proceedings are initiated based on complaints received from "citizens."

• The Peruvian prosecutor maintains that there is a cry for justice and that "no death should go unpunished"

After former President Pedro Castillo tried to dissolve Congress on December 7 and was arrested, then Vice President Dina Boluarte took office, according to the succession provided by the Constitution.

In the days that followed, demonstrations occurred in which the closure of Congress and the call for new elections were requested.

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According to the Ombudsman's Office, 22 people died during the demonstrations and 6 due to roadblocks.

CNN asked the criminal lawyer, Carlos Caro, what is the scope of the Prosecutor's announcement:

"Preliminary proceedings means that before conducting a preliminary investigation, the Prosecutor's Office collects information to see if the president and the aforementioned ministers have been involved in said deaths, that is, if by action or omission, they have had any participation."

• Peru's Public Ministry opens investigation against Ayacucho military and police officers for deaths in protests

Although article 117 of the Constitution states that the President of the Republic can only be accused of four crimes, including treason, the Supreme Court stated in a ruling at the end of November 2022 that a president can be investigated.

That decision allowed the investigation of former President Pedro Castillo to continue for alleged acts of corruption committed during his government.

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