Ancash candidates demand dismissal of Interior Minister following journalist "China Polo" murder
Candidates from "Socios por Ancash" announce march to Lima and call on Congress to censure Interior Minister Astudillo over the murder of journalist Susy Aponte Polo in Caraz.
Ancash candidates announce march to Lima following murder of journalist "China Polo" in Caraz
Three representatives from the regional movement "Socios por Ancash" demanded justice and an expedited investigation on Sunday 20 September for the murder of journalist Susy Aponte Polo, known as "China Polo", which occurred the previous day in Caraz province, according to exitosanoticias.pe. The main suspect is Luis Iván Obispo Díaz, a Venezuelan citizen identified by authorities.
The crime generated an immediate political reaction in the Ancash region. Edy Portalatino and Valentín Fernández, candidates for provincial and district mayor positions in Santa, respectively, called on the Government to fulfil its commitment to "restore order" and requested that Congress dismiss Interior Minister César Astudillo.
The interpellation of the Interior Ministry chief took place on 17 September before the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, where Astudillo answered questions regarding citizen security and measures adopted against crime. For the "Socios por Ancash" candidates, the explanations offered proved insufficient in light of the journalist's murder.
Portalatino called particularly on the Juntos por el Perú parliamentary group and opposition congressmen such as Ernesto Zunini and "Meche" Castillo to take action. "I am going to demand a march and I will go to the furthest consequences and if we have to tie ourselves in Congress, chain ourselves so that the deputies will listen to us, because listen well gentlemen deputies, gentlemen of the opposition, Ernesto Zunini, 'Meche' Castillo, you have the power to dismiss a minister because he is not taking action. Now is the moment for you to dismiss the Interior Minister so that the Government knows it must take action and come down hard on crime," Portalatino said.
The candidates also announced a mobilisation to Lima in the coming days, coinciding with regional and municipal elections on 4 October. Aponte Polo was also a former candidate for the Ancash Regional Government.
Public Prosecutor assumes case and reclassifies offence as alleged hired murder
The Public Ministry informed the same Sunday that it assumed jurisdiction in the investigation. The Second Provincial Criminal Corporate Prosecutor's Office of Huaylas, Third Office, is handling the inquiry and reclassified the offence to alleged hired murder.
Provincial prosecutor Raúl Godos Sedán and assistant prosecutor Sheyla Romero Zárate are directing the "urgent and unavoidable proceedings" of the case. Among the initial measures are taking statements from the five victims who were wounded by bullet impact during the attack on Ramón Castilla avenue, reviewing surveillance cameras from the hotel where one of the alleged attackers reportedly stayed, conducting atomic absorption analysis and the legally required autopsy of Aponte Polo's body.
Second detainee in Surco; general commander of PNP travels to Caraz
Luis Iván Obispo Díaz is not the only detainee. In recent hours, a 29-year-old man was taken to the Surco police station for the corresponding proceedings, according to the Public Ministry.
The newly appointed general commander of the PNP, Freddy López Mendoza, travelled to Caraz this morning to oversee the proceedings. According to the police institution, "key points" were verified that could enable new findings in clarifying the incident.
Source: Google News PE — Lima