The Peruvian prosecutor’s office asked a judge on Friday to impose three years of preventive detention against President Pedro Castillo’s sister-in-law while she is being investigated for allegedly participating in a money-laundering family clan, which according to the investigations would be made up of the president and the first lady.
Prosecutor Hans Aguirre asked the eighth national preparatory investigation court for a prison order against Yenifer Paredes, 26 years old. The woman culminates during the day a preliminary detention of 10 days that passed in a police office. Judge Raúl Justiniano will make a decision in the next few hours.
Although she is the president’s sister-in-law, Paredes has been raised as a daughter since she was little by the presidential couple after her mother died. Castillo said Friday in an appointment with indigenous women that her “daughter who has been formed from adversity” goes through “the worst moments.”
Paredes turned herself in to the prosecutor’s office on August 10, one day after the police went to the presidential palace to unsuccessfully arrest her because they couldn’t find her. Yenifer Paredes told the judge that she is willing to collaborate with the justice system but that in the midst of her imprisonment she has only been summoned to testify four times and the rest of the time “I have been here and not as much has been done as Mr. prosecutor mentions.”
He added that during the 10 days he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and asked that this argument be taken into account before making a new decision.
The prosecution accuses Castillo, several relatives, the current Minister of Transportation, Geiner Alvarado, and a mayor of the town where the president lived of being part of a criminal group. The coordinator would be the first lady and the figureheads would be three brothers-in-law of the president, including Yenifer Paredes. Meanwhile, the front companies would be owned by people close to the presidential family.
The prosecution presumes that Yenifer Paredes helped the owner of one of the alleged front companies to obtain public works despite not having the economic capacity to guarantee the execution of the works or the experience.
Castillo, who currently has six tax investigations, denies all the accusations. He has governed for a year and his term is due to end in 2026.