Peruvian President Pedro Castillo gestures upon arriving to the prosecutors headquarters in Lima on June 17, 2022, to clear accusations of leading a ring of influence peddling. (Photo by Cris BOURONCLE / AFP)
Lima, Peru — Peruvian prosecutors said Wednesday they will investigate President Pedro Castillo for alleged influence peddling, overturning an earlier decision to wait until his term ended.
The president is alleged to have put undue pressure on army and air force chiefs to favor military officers sympathetic to the leftist government in the annual promotion process.
The probe was suspended in January by the former attorney general on the grounds that Castillo could not be investigated while exercising his mandate.
But on Wednesday the prosecutor’s office tweeted that it had annulled that suspension, and that a preliminary investigation would take place.
The president has been summoned to testify on August 4.
Castillo, a leftist, has only been in power since last July — his term ends in 2026 — but Congress has already voted to try and remove him twice.
In June, Castillo testified in an investigation into alleged corruption in his political and family circle.