The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office has included newly-appointed Prime Minister Guido Bellido in its probe into the financing of the ruling Free Peru party's campaign, looking into his possible role in committing and coordinating corruption offenses, the Comercio newspaper reported.
Prosecutor Richard Rojas reportedly ordered expanding the money-laundering investigation, initiated a month ago, to include Bellido and the ruling party leader, Vladimir Cerron. The investigation was launched to determine the origin of the funding of the Free Peru campaign.
Bellido and Cerron are on the list of 17 people suspected of membership in a criminal organization linked to the "improper" financing of the Socialist party's campaign, its legal processes, and money laundering, according to Comercio.
Rojas deems Cerron the criminal group's leader. Based on audiotapes dated December 2020, the Prosecutor's Office believes Bellido did not only know about the possible corruption schemes but also coordinated them.
Bellido is, meanwhile, also under investigation over his alleged links to the Shining Path terrorist organization, a left-wing rebel group responsible for killing tens of thousands of Peruvians in the 1980s and 1990s in an attempt to seize power. Bellido's appointment as prime minister on July 28, 2021, triggered protests in Peru. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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