MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru: Boluarte feared fleeing during Amazon Summit

It is Boluarte's first trip abroad as President

Peruvian Congresswoman Margot Palacios said she feared President Dina Boluarte might try to flee the country during her participation in the Amazon summit in the Brazilian city of Belém, it was reported in Lima on Monday. Boluarte left the country for the first time as President to attend the event.

The South American country's one-house Congress authorized the president's trip abroad last Thursday with 62 votes in favor, 32 against, and 7 abstentions.

In Palacios' view, the risk stems from the fact that Boluarte is under investigation by “the Public Prosecutor's Office for the alleged commission of criminal offenses of genocide, homicide, and serious injuries” for the 77 deaths during anti-government protests demanding her resignation between December 2022 and March 2023, of which 49 were in clashes with law enforcement forces. Boluarte testified last June 6 on these occurrences.

The Marxist Peru Libre (PL) party that brought former President Pedro Castillo Terrones to power with Boluarte as Vice President warned in a note to Attorney General Patricia Benavides “about the flight risk of the indicated person, due to the fact that to date she is in a full investigation at the level of the Public Ministry for the alleged commission of criminal offenses... to the detriment of Peruvian citizens.” PL spokeswoman Palacios expressed to Benavides her dissenting opinion regarding Booluarte's trip.

”President Dina Boluarte travels to the city of Belém do Pará, Brazil, to participate in the IV Meeting of Presidents of the States Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (TCA), where issues on environmental care will be addressed,” posted the official account of the Presidency of Peru.