Peru's National Police has assigned a special team of 12 agents to investigate death threats made against provincial prosecutor Leonardo Guffanti Parra, threats that authorities have attributed to a criminal organization.
Interior Minister César Astudillo said an investigation was underway and that investigative steps had already been ordered to establish the origin of the messages.
Peru's Public Ministry, the country's prosecutorial authority, condemned the messages targeting one of its own representatives and called on all sectors of society to respect judicial independence and autonomy. It also urged that the cases under its charge be resolved strictly under the law, away from political or personal controversy.
Special Police Team Assigned
Astudillo said the ministry had received information about the threat against the prosecutor and that a team of special agents was in charge of the investigation. He said the first step was to locate the source of the extortion and establish where the threat was coming from.
He confirmed that the assistant prosecutor was being given protection and announced operations to capture those responsible for the intimidation, though he did not give further details of the police work involved.
Astudillo said that for obvious reasons authorities could not disclose what the team was doing or how, but stressed that action had been taken immediately.
Threats Naming His Family
Guffanti reported days ago that he had been the target of extortion. In an intimidating message, the criminals claimed to know his movements and those of his family, including a relative living in Spain.
Guffanti said the intimidating messages, which arrived directly to his official communications team, stated that the senders knew his family was in Spain and warned him not to attend hearings.
Despite the harassment, the Public Ministry's response has been direct. The prosecutor's office recently secured a 21-year prison sentence against Wilder Jara for land usurpation and organized crime in the Santa Rosa case.
Guffanti said nothing would intimidate them and that they would not back down, describing it as the spirit instilled by Jorge Chávez Cotrina and pledging to continue the work entrusted to the provincial prosecutor's office.
25 Prosecutors Under Threat Nationwide
Chávez Cotrina, the national coordinator of the Specialized Prosecutor's Offices against Organized Crime, known as FECOR, thanked the Interior Ministry for taking measures against the death threats prosecutors have been receiving from organized crime.
He said investigations had already begun and that police security should be arranged for the prosecutors in the coming hours.
Chávez Cotrina said 25 FECOR prosecutors nationwide have been receiving threats.
