Left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez may go to court over questionable campaign financing. The decision comes just before Peru’s crucial run-off election.
Peru’s leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez may face trial on suspicion of violating campaign finance rules. As reported by the AFP agency, which is referred to by TASR, a judge decided to bring Sánchez to court on Friday, just a few days before the second round of the presidential election, in which he is scheduled to meet the right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori on Sunday.
- A judge has ruled that Roberto Sánchez must face a campaign finance trial.
- Prosecutors say Sánchez’s party received undisclosed contributions exceeding $57,000.
- The accounting ambiguities relate to the 2018 to 2020 regional and municipal elections.
- Sánchez still has a week to appeal and strongly denies guilt.
- Keiko Fujimori promises to deploy the army against crime, Sánchez represents poorer voters.
According to the prosecutor’s office, there are irregularities in the financial documents of Sánchez’s party, and he should have received more than $57,000 through undeclared contributions. The ambiguities concern the accounting from the regional and municipal elections in the years 2018 to 2020, where the origin of the funds and their reporting should have been insufficiently documented.
Sufficient reasons
The case came to court already in January, but then the judge rejected part of the indictment and called on the prosecution to revise it. After a two-day hearing, he has now concluded that he believes there are sufficient grounds for Sánchez to stand trial in the matter.
The candidate himself did not immediately respond to the latest decision. In the past, he denied the accusations and stated on social networks that, according to him, there was no fraud or misappropriation of his party’s funds.
Possible immunity
According to information, Sánchez still has a week to file an appeal against the decision. However, if elected, he would receive presidential immunity according to the Peruvian constitution.
In public statements, he also attacks his rival, classifying her as a political “mafia” whom he blames for the long-term political instability in Peru.
Tough fight against crime
In her campaign, Keiko Fujimori emphasizes the security agenda and announces the deployment of the army to the streets and tougher punishments in an effort to counter growing extortion and violent crime. Sánchez, on the other hand, profiles himself as a representative of the poorer classes and the rural population and talks about the need for a radical change in the political course.
According to available data, around 27 million Peruvians will have the right to vote in Sunday’s presidential election.
