Peru's President Dina Boluarte is to be questioned by the prosecutor's office on Tuesday as part of an investigation to determine her responsibility for the deaths that occurred during protests against her government, a lawyer for the head of state reported on Sunday.
Dina Boluarte “
wants to help uncover the truth
,” her lawyer Kelly Montenegro told El Comercio newspaper.
“
We will comply with everything that the prosecution
asks for, she assured.
The prosecution opened an investigation against Dina Boluarte on January 10 for alleged crimes of "
genocide, aggravated homicide and serious injuries
" during the anti-government protests of December 2022 and January 2023. Several ministers and former ministers of her government are also covered by this investigation.
Peru is embroiled in a serious political and social crisis that erupted on December 7 with the ousting and imprisonment of former left-wing president Pedro Castillo, replaced by his vice-president Dina Boluarte.
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Pedro Castillo, 53, is accused of having attempted a coup d'etat by wanting to dissolve the Assembly which was preparing to oust him from power.
He is serving an 18-month prison sentence in a detention center near Lima.
His fall after seventeen months in power sparked violent protests that left 48 dead and more than 600 injured in clashes between his supporters and law enforcement.
Ten civilians and six soldiers were still injured on Saturday in the Puno region.
The protesters demand the resignation of Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of Parliament and the holding of early elections in 2023.