(CNN Spanish) — Peruvian authorities raided the home of President Tina Polwart on Friday night as part of a corruption investigation into alleged illegal enrichment and failure to declare ownership of luxury Rolex watches, CNN learned this Saturday.
The operation was carried out by prosecutors and police within the framework of the so-called “Rolex case”.
Raid on Government Palace (CNN)
After the search at the house, officials went to the Government Palace to carry out a similar procedure in the early hours of Saturday.
The Presidency of Peru, upon it
On March 19, the Peruvian prosecutor's office announced the opening of preliminary investigations against the president for “illegal enrichment and failure to declare ownership of Rolex luxury watches.” The decision was made after the digital media “La Encerrona” published that after reviewing thousands of photos, the President wore 14 different luxury watches.
Boluarte replied that everything he owns is the result of his hard work. “I came to the Presidential Palace with clean hands and I am leaving with clean hands as I promised the people of Peru,” he said.
In statements to Radio Programas del Peru, the head of the Council of Ministers, Gustavo Adriansen, said he was outraged by what happened because he considered it an attack on the dignity of the presidency.
Adrianzén also asserted that these measures are disproportionate and unconstitutional, as he requested the postponement of a new date for the president's statement.
President of Peru Tina Poluarte poses for a photo on November 15, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is unusual for these actions to be carried out in the middle of the night on a holiday,” an administration spokesman said, stressing that the president has offered his cooperation to authorities at all times.
Boularte's lawyer, Mateo Castañeda, told the local RPP on Saturday morning that the president has agreed to testify at the prosecutor's office on Friday, April 5. Prosecutors requested that Polwart testify earlier, but he was unable to attend due to his schedule.
When asked if the watches were found at the presidential palace, Castaneda said police took photos of about 10 watches but could not confirm the brand.
“There is no need to gather so much evidence, 17 lawyers, 18 police officers, armed, searched the clocks. In a normal case it would be done with a lawyer and two police officers but here it seems they want. To make a show,” Castaneda added.
Boluarte says this is an “arbitrary, disproportionate and wrongful” measure
For his part, the President of Peru, Tina Poluarte, addressed the country this Saturday, hours after authorities raided his home and the government palace in connection with an investigation into illegal enrichment and alleged omissions in the declaration, “due to the use of Rolex brand watches”.
In a message broadcast on national television and social networks, Pollarde described the practice as “arbitrary, disproportionate and wrongful”.
“I respect the tax investigation; however, I reject it as discriminatory and unconstitutional,” the president said.
“This first president in 200 years of the republic, who does not face this systematic attack and respects the autonomy of institutions, I will soon help the prosecutor's office to establish the truth about the clocks. They will always say that I am an honest woman. “I entered the government palace with clean hands, and that is why I will retire in 2026. This woman is not behind the presidential lobby or negotiations, whoever sold the watch story knows that, because they know me, because I am not corrupt or a thief,” Polwart added.
The prosecutor's office defends its intervention
The prosecutor's office said the investigation was carried out on a court order and “therefore” the intervention was rejected as “illegal, unconstitutional and abusive”.
A A statement posted on your X account, the prosecutor's office investigated the details of the opening of the door to Polwart's residence. “It was carried out after touching the intercom and realizing the reasons for the financial and police presence of Daniel Gomes Bolvarde and requesting voluntary access to the house,” he said. According to the prosecutor's office, Gomez Poluarte replied, “Wait a minute.”
“A few minutes later, the intercom was repeatedly touched, as they did not open; “After approximately ten minutes, when there was no response, the main door was opened, which was recorded in the search report along with the notice of opening and judicial action,” the prosecutor's office said.
In addition, the prosecutor's office said that “the distribution of Rolex watches did not take place or occur”, “despite the fact that it was requested”, but that “other elements of interest to the investigation” were obtained.
Pollarde took office in December 2022 after Congress overthrew and arrested former President Pedro Castillo.
Boluarte's corruption trial joins a long list of former presidents facing corruption investigations and prosecutions. In November 2020, Congress impeached President MartÃn Vizcarra in an impeachment vote over corruption allegations. His predecessor, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, was forced to resign in 2018 amid a corruption scandal involving Brazil's Odebrecht, Latin America's largest construction company. Kuczynski's predecessor, Hollande Humala, also faced trial on money laundering charges.
This article has been updated with additional information.
With reporting by CNN's Andy Ortiz and Marlon Sordo.
