In a startling turn of events, armed police carried out a raid on Peru's government palace and the private residence of President Dina Boluarte as part of a preliminary corruption investigation. The probe was initiated following an in-depth investigation by Peruvian news outlet La Encerrona into Boluarte's ownership of luxury watches, including Rolexes.

La Encerrona, after scrutinizing thousands of photographs of the President, revealed that Boluarte possessed a minimum of 14 luxury watches, earning the incident the moniker of the "Rolex case" in the Peruvian media. Prior to the raid, Boluarte had vehemently denied any wrongdoing, attributing her possessions to her hard work.

According to a statement released by Boularte's office, the searches were conducted "without incident." However, her lawyer, Mateo Castaneda, accused the authorities of an excessive show of force and claimed that police had taken photographs of approximately 10 watches, without disclosing their brands.

Boularte is expected to testify at the prosecutor's office next month. In the wake of the raid, political allies rushed to her defense, criticizing the operation as excessive. Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen condemned the late-night raid on a bank holiday, labeling it an attack on the President's dignity. Justice Minister Eduardo Arana also spoke out against the searches, deeming them unconstitutional.

This incident adds to Peru's recent history of political instability, characterized by allegations of corruption and political misconduct. Boularte assumed office in December 2022, succeeding Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and removed from power after attempting to dissolve Congress. The move was widely criticized as an attempted coup by lawmakers.

Prior to Castillo, former President Martin Vizcarra faced impeachment over corruption allegations in November 2020. Vizcarra's predecessor, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, resigned in 2018 due to a corruption scandal involving Brazilian conglomerate Odebrech. Meanwhile, former President Ollanta Humala is presently undergoing trial for money laundering charges, maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings.

Peruvians are now closely watching the developments surrounding the "Rolex case," as the country grapples with ongoing challenges to its political landscape, hoping for a stable and corruption-free future.