Peruvian Public Ministry controversy
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An investigation surrounding the Public Ministry of Peru, known as Operation Valkyrie V (Spanish: Operación Valquiria V) resulted with a controversy surrounding the Attorney General of Peru, Patricia Benavides, who was alleged to head a criminal organization.[1][2][3] The scandal revolved around alleged irregularities with the decisions of electing the Ombudsman of Peru Josué Gutiérrez Cóndor, dismissing former attorney general Zoraida Ávalos and attempts to remove the members of the National Board of Justice (JNJ), all in reported attempts for Benavides to main control of the Public Ministry by nominating allies in judicial positions.[2][3][4]
Messages discovered during investigations reportedly showed Benavides collaboration with members of the Congress of Peru from Advance Country, Popular Force and We Are Peru, that thirty-seven congressmen collaborated with her and that Benavides protected certain legislators from investigations.[3][5] Further testimony from Benavides' aide Jaime Villanueva to investigators said that Popular Force leader Keiko Fujimori and President of Congress Alejandro Soto Reyes supported Benavides with dissolving the JNJ while Fujimori ally Martha Moyano called for the removal of two investigators involved in the Lava Jato case.[6][7]
Emma Benavides investigations
Peruvian attorney general Patricia Benavides' sister, judge Emma Benavides Vargas, was investigated for alleged connections to a criminal organization and reportedly releasing a pair of drug traffickers in exchange for money.[8][9] Benavides fired Bersabeth Revilla, the prosecutor tasked with investigating her sister in July 2022.[10] On 3 August 2022, Benavides denied using her position to protect her sister.[11]
The National Board of Justice (JNJ) opened preliminary investigations of Benavides firing Revilla and her educational background in early 2023.[12][13] Fujimorist lawmakers defended Benavides from being investigated by the National Board of Justice (JNJ).[14][15] In March 2023, it was reported that during investigations of Benavides, she was heard in phone call audio with Antonio Camayo, a businessman involved in the Cuellos Blancos scandal and that she was allegedly attempting to obstruct investigations into audio recordings of herself and of her sister Emma.[16] It was reported that Emma had nearly a dozen phone calls with Edwin Oviedo, the former head of the Peruvian Football Federation who was implicated as one of the main funders in the Cuellos Blancos scandal.[16]
Attempted dismissal of JNJ judges
In mid-August 2023, Benavides filed a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court of Peru to demand an end to investigations.[13] By late-August 2023, IDL-Reporteros wrote that Inés Tello, a member of the JNJ who was tasked with investigating Benavides, established in her preliminary report that Benavides had removed Revilla from her position in order to protect her sister Emma from charges and that she also made unexplained changes to the investigatory team of the Cuellos Blancos scandal.[17] Tello then reportedly recommend disciplinary procedures against Benavides.[17]
On 29 August 2023, the Constitutional Court would order the suspension of investigations against Benavides by the JNJ.[18] Following this, Congress would attempt to remove Tello from her position on the JNJ in early September 2023, approving an expedited investigation against the JNJ.[15][19] The move by Congress was condemned by some Peruvian media outlets and international NGOs; newspaper La República and a letter signed by NGOs including the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), Due Process of Law Foundation, Fundación Construir, Fundación para la Justicia y el Estado Democrático de Derecho (FJEDD), Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, Observatorio Derechos y Justicia (ODJ), Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and the Washington Office on Latin America described the actions as a "parliamentary coup".[19][20] The letter signed by the NGOs also called for the application of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.[20] The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations office in Peru would express concern about Congress’ actions against the JNJ and call for maintaining a balance of powers.[21][22][23] On 16 September, thousands marched in Lima protesting against the actions of Congress and sharing support for the JNJ.[24]