Peru’s Presidential Palace Searched by Anti-Corruption Prosecutor

(Bloomberg) -- Anti-corruption investigators carried out a search in Peru’s presidential palace as part of a probe into alleged influence-peddling by a close aide of President Pedro Castillo.  

The prosecutor’s office said in statement that it initiated preliminary proceedings against Bruno Pacheco, who quit Friday as Secretary General of the Presidential Palace, a role that involves organizing the head of state’s agenda. 

The investigation will seek to determine whether Pacheco influenced the tax agency to obtain benefits for some companies. He hasn’t been formally charged and denies any wrongdoing. 

A local TV station showed prosecutor Marco Munoz and anti-corruption police entering the palace to search for documents and interview Pacheco’s former staff.

The investigation comes as one opposition lawmaker, Patricia Chirinos, is gathering signatures in a bid to initiate an impeachment process against Castillo for “moral incapacity”. Chirinos needs 26 signatures to force a congressional debate, and 87 of 130 lawmakers would need to vote against Castillo to impeach him. 

Peru’s Renovacion Popular party, with 12 members in Congress, said it will support the request, according to a statement published on Twitter with the names of 10 lawmakers.

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