Prime Minister Defends Minister Perez, Says No Laws Broken in Investigation

Prime Minister John Briceño has come to the defense of Minister of the Blue Economy Andre Perez, stating that no evidence of wrongdoing was found during an investigation by the Attorney General's office. The Prime Minister acknowledged that while Perez's judgment could be questioned, no laws were broken according to the probe.

The investigation, which lasted several months, concluded that neither Perez's primary accuser nor anyone else provided evidence to support allegations against him. Perez was recently reinstated to his ministry position, though he lost his Civil Aviation portfolio in the process.

The accuser, who claims Perez raped and sexually harassed her and offered certain inducements, has not filed a police report and has since left the country in self-exile. Prime Minister Briceño emphasized that the Attorney General's investigation found no wrongdoing on Perez's part.

"No one filed a complaint with the Attorney General's office," Briceño stated. "The investigation concluded that while the minister's judgment could be questioned, no laws were violated."

The Prime Minister also pointed to Perez's recent electoral success, noting that he and the mayor of San Pedro won the municipal election by the largest margin in the town's history. This, Briceño suggested, indicates that Perez's work in his constituency was successful despite the investigation and accusations against him.

Why this matters: The allegations against a sitting government minister and the Prime Minister's staunch defense of Perez have significant implications for public trust in the government and the handling of sexual misconduct claims against officials. The case also raises questions about due process and the thoroughness of investigations into such allegations.

In his remarks defending Perez, Prime Minister Briceño reiterated that the months-long probe by the Attorney General's office did not uncover any evidence of lawbreaking. He acknowledged that Perez's judgment was questionable but maintained that in the absence of formal complaints or evidence from accusers, the minister was cleared of wrongdoing and would remain in his post.

Key Takeaways

• PM defends minister Andre Perez, says no laws were broken in investigation.
• Accuser did not file police report and has left the country in self-exile.
• AG's investigation found no wrongdoing, though Perez's judgment was questionable.
• Perez reinstated to ministry, lost Civil Aviation portfolio, won municipal election.
• Case raises questions about due process and handling of sexual misconduct claims.