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Peru’s PM Otarola quits amid claims of influence peddling
Alberto Otarola denies allegations that he attempted to improperly influence government contracts to help his love interest.
FILE PHOTO: Peru's chief of staff Alberto Otarola speaks at the Congress as he and his cabinet face a vote of confidence in Lima, Peru, January 10, 2023. Cris Bouroncle/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola has resigned in the wake of the release of audio recordings that reportedly captured him leveraging his influence to secure government contracts for his romantic interest.
Otarola submitted his resignation following the broadcast of the recordings by the Panorama television program last week. While addressing reporters in Lima, he asserted that he had been set up by political adversaries, claiming that the recordings had been manipulated and edited. Otarola contended that the recordings were made before he assumed office in 2022.
Otarola was recorded discussing with a 25-year-old woman
Nevertheless, Otarola stated on X that he was stepping down “to provide peace of mind to the president and restore the cabinet.” In the audio recordings, the 57-year-old Otarola is heard conversing with Yazire Pinedo, a 25-year-old woman who reportedly secured government contracts totaling $14,000 this year for archive and administrative work.
In one of the recordings, he allegedly says to her, “Tell me, then, my love, so we can talk. You know these things are annoying, they are a pain, but you also know that I love you.”
Ordered back from Canada by President Dina Boluarte after the scandal erupted over the weekend, Otarola has vehemently denied any breach of Peruvian labour laws or other misconduct.
“I understand the gravity of the political circumstances, but I repeat that I did not do anything illegal” he stated on X. Pinedo mentioned that the leaked conversations with Otarola, who is married and has five children, took place in 2021. She admitted to a brief “perhaps sentimental relationship” with him.
Prosecutors will investigate Otarola for conflict of interest
The president’s office, in a statement, conveyed its intention to listen to Otarola’s perspective before making any decisions. Prosecutors announced their intent to investigate him for potential conflict of interest and “illegal sponsorship.”
Following Otarola’s resignation, Peruvian law stipulates that the remaining 18 members of the cabinet must also step down. The president has the option to reappoint each of them.
Boluarte, aged 61, assumed power in 2022 after then-President Pedro Castillo, a left-wing leader, attempted to dissolve Congress and govern by decree, resulting in his swift removal and arrest. Violent protests ensued in various cities, demanding Boluarte’s resignation and the holding of elections.
Human Rights Watch estimated that approximately 50 people were killed in the subsequent crackdown by security forces, accusing authorities of extrajudicial and arbitrary killings. Numerous legal proceedings were initiated to investigate whether Boluarte bears any responsibility for the deaths.
