The Public Ministry is scheduled to interrogate Castillo on two of the corruption cases that were opened against him by new Prosecutor Patricia Benavides, something that has never happened to any of the previous governors in office.
Castillo was convened to testify on two cases, referring to the irregular purchase by the state company Petroperú of biodiesel for more than 70 million dollars by the Heaven Petroleum Operators company.
According to the General Attorney’s Office, the purchase was agreed upon after Heaven Petroleum Operators manager Samir George Abudayeh Giha and then PetroPeru General Manager Hugo Chavez Arevalo visited the President at the Government Palace; although both deny having been together with Castillo and discussed the operation with him.
The other case about which the President will be questioned is the accusations by former Interior Minister Mariano Gonzalez, who after leaving office in July, said that his departure allegedly evidenced the President’s will to hinder the ongoing investigations.
The first lady, for her part, will appear before Judge Raúl Justiniano, who is expected to announce his decision on the request by the General Attorney’s Office to prohibit Paredes and her brothers, Wálter and David Paredes, from leaving the country for three years.
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