Peru’s President Faces Homicide Complaint Over 44 Protest Deaths

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(Bloomberg) -- Peru’s top prosecutor office on Tuesday said it had filed a complaint against President Dina Boluarte for alleged homicide in the death of 44 people, amid what it said were “grave violations of human rights.”

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The so-called constitutional complaint stems from massive protests against Boluarte early in her presidency and the government response to stop them. Human rights organizations have said Peru’s police and armed forces killed innocent protesters and published videos showing law enforcement firing at civilians.

In announcing the complaint, the attorney general’s office said that 41 people had been killed with firearms and that another 78 had been wounded by them.

The complaint needs to be reviewed by Congress to go forward as it involves a sitting president. But it adds more legal woes for Boluarte, a much disliked president with single-digit approval ratings. She’s also under investigation for alleged illegal enrichment over her use of Rolex watches and other expensive jewelry that she was unlikely to be able to afford.

Boluarte has denied any wrongdoing during her administration and said the protests against her were violent and any response was meant to pacify the country. Her top aide, Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen, earlier Tuesday applauded a decision to drop a separate investigation against Boluarte over alleged genocide during the anti-government protests.