The National Police of Peru arrested former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez on Tuesday.
This followed a successful appeal by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the Supreme Court for her to be held in preventive detention for 18 months during an investigation into allegations of rebellion.
Chávez’s arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into her alleged involvement in a failed coup d’état attempted by former President Pedro Castillo in December, during which he unsuccessfully attempted to dissolve Congress.
Following a court order for her immediate arrest, Chávez was detained at her home in the southern region of Tacna and subsequently taken to the city’s judicial jail to undergo legal procedures.
Local media suggests that Chávez may be transferred to Lima in the coming hours, where her place of detention will be decided.
This order was conveyed to the police following the Supreme Court’s assessment of an appeal submitted by the Second Transitional Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Corruption Crimes.
The decision to detain the former Prime Minister, who has been under restricted appearance since April 26, came a day after the deputy supreme prosecutor Sylvia Shack endorsed the request for preventive detention.
Shack claimed that Chávez had misled the Preparatory Investigation Court with unverifiable information.
During her arrest, Chávez reportedly remained peaceful and cooperated with authorities.
She addressed her supporters via a live broadcast on TikTok, asserting her calm demeanor and revealing that her legal team had requested for her preventive detention to be served in Tacna.
Despite the Prosecutor’s Office also seeking the arrest of former ministers Roberto Sanchez and Willy Huerta, who are under similar investigations, the Supreme Court upheld a restriction on their appearances imposed by Judge Juan Carlos Checkley in April.
Meanwhile, former President Castillo is currently held in the Barbadillo prison in Lima, serving 18 months of preventive detention amid a rebellion investigation and a further 36 months while being investigated for allegedly leading a criminal organization during his tenure.
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