Walter Gutiérrez, Ombudsman: “For Peru Libre and the Government I am a threat”

After constant questioning by the Government, the Ombudsman, Walter Gutiérrez, said that he will not continue in office. As he explained, this body is uncomfortable for the president of the republic, Pedro Castillo, since it does not operate within the constitutional framework.

“The president himself said so in his speech where he does not know the powers of the Ombudsman's Office and, in addition, unfortunately, he is lying because he said that we promoted vacancia and that is not true. What we have said is that the president is in breach of the Constitution and that is a completely different concept. The leader of the governing party himself, Mr. Cerrón, has taken out several tweets saying that I have threatened to stay,” Gutiérrez told the newspaper Correo.

“That is, for Peru Libre, for the Government I am a threat. They qualify me as a threat, as a risk, a danger. I replied that they shouldn't be so scared. I have already put an end to my administration — not because they tell me — next week I will leave office because I have determined it. And because I do keep my word and I'm not attached to the post, and because I don't have any appetite for power other than simply fulfilling my powers,” he continued.

Along these lines, Gutiérrez clarified that his exit does not mean that the Ombudsman's Office “is going to deflate, it's going to get screwed up.” “The remaining officials - I am very convinced - know very well their competences, their responsibilities, the line and, probably, the tone of the mess they have been doing with the public administration,” he said.

On the presidential vacancy facing the president, who will have to appear tomorrow before the Congress of the Republic to clarify the questions in his against, the still Ombudsman lamented that Castillo “does enormous damage to the State, to the public administration”.

“Although the Office of the Ombudsman does not promote vacancy, it cannot remain silent (...) Everywhere they have violated the Constitution in numerous, repeated, contumacious ways. That means that Congress is empowered to, through Art. 99 and 100, open an impeachment trial to the president. So, it's not that we promote vacancy, but we do say clearly that it has breached the Constitution,” he noted.

When asked for a personal opinion on Pedro Castillo, Walter Gutiérrez stated that the president does not understand the ethics that are housed in the Constitution, besides that he does not have what it takes to resign from office. “It seems that he does not understand, he does not understand the public service well. He is clearly an official who lacks the slightest competence for such a big responsibility,” he said.

“The president must be as honest as possible and understand that this is a position that has overwhelmed him. It's beyond your means. That's why I told him at one point that he should resign. But to resign, three things are required. You need to be responsible and realize that this is beyond your abilities. Second, to be loyal to the mandate of the Constitution and, thirdly, to have the courage to make this decision. The president, unfortunately, has not proved to have any of these three characteristics,” he continued.

KEEP READING