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Peru presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez charged with financial crimes
TL;DR
Peru's public prosecutor has charged presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez with financial crimes, seeking a prison sentence of over five years. The allegations include filing false financial disclosures related to campaign contributions.
Key points
- Roberto Sanchez charged with financial crimes in Peru
- Prosecutors seek five years and four months imprisonment
- Allegations include false financial disclosures from 2018 to 2020
Mentioned in this story
Roberto SanchezJuntos por el PeruPeru
Peru’s public prosecutor’s office has accused leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez of financial crimes, calling for him to be imprisoned for five years and four months.
The charges, unsealed on Tuesday, came hours after electoral authorities confirmed Sanchez was on track to advance to the country’s presidential run-off, scheduled for June 7.
According to the El Comercio newspaper, prosecutors allege that Sanchez, who is the candidate of the Juntos por el Peru (Together for Peru) party, filed false financial disclosures with the National Office of Electoral Processes related to campaign contributions between 2018 and 2020.
Prosecutors say Sanchez and his brother, William Sanchez, received more than 280,000 Peruvian soles ($81,720) in contributions and membership fees that were never disclosed in the party’s financial filings.
Sanchez is also accused of making false statements in administrative proceedings.
In addition to the jail term, prosecutors were also seeking a “permanent disqualification” of Sanchez from holding the office of president for the Juntos por el Peru party, according to El Comercio.
Sanchez’s lawyer rejected the accusations, telling local outlet RPP that the party’s treasurer, not Sanchez, was responsible for its financial filings.
A judge is expected to decide on May 27 whether the case will go to trial.
The charges emerged as vote counting from last month’s first-round election showed Sanchez advancing to a run-off against conservative rival Keiko Fujimori.
With 99.76 percent of ballots counted, Fujimori, the daughter of late former President Alberto Fujimori and a four-time presidential candidate, held a commanding lead with 17.17 percent of the vote.
Sanchez, running with the backing of jailed former President Pedro Castillo, stood at 12 percent, narrowly ahead of ultra-conservative former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga at 11.91 percent, a margin of roughly 15,000 votes.
The final result is expected by May 15.
Q&A
What financial crimes is Roberto Sanchez accused of?
Roberto Sanchez is accused of filing false financial disclosures regarding campaign contributions and making false statements in administrative proceedings.
What is the potential prison sentence for Roberto Sanchez?
Roberto Sanchez faces a potential prison sentence of five years and four months if convicted of the financial crimes.
When is the presidential run-off election in Peru?
The presidential run-off election in Peru is scheduled for June 7.
