Peru’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has formally announced the suspension of its criminal investigation into President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski until the conclusion of his presidential term in July 2018. The judicial inquiry, initiated on January 15 under special procedures reserved for sitting presidents, has involved multiple preliminary investigations and two rounds of direct questioning of the head of state.
Attorney General Tomás Vásquez, the lead prosecutor handling the sensitive case, emphasized that the current charges represent merely a preliminary framework. The investigation aims to establish specific responsibilities and determine the complete scope of events under scrutiny once constitutional immunity limitations no longer apply.
In a parallel development, Peru’s anti-corruption prosecutors will pursue a separate investigation targeting Chinese entrepreneur Zhi Hua Yang, who manages several companies providing services and products to various sectors. This investigation will proceed without the constitutional restrictions that apply to the sitting president. The case gained national attention after photographic evidence emerged on October 11 showing President Kuczynski wearing a hood and dark glasses while heading to a late-night meeting with Yang near midnight. The president subsequently provided conflicting explanations about the nature and purpose of these clandestine meetings.