Alberto Otárola

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Otárola and the second or maternal family name is Peñaranda.

Luis Alberto Otárola Peñaranda (born 12 February 1967) is a Peruvian attorney and politician who was the Prime Minister of Peru from 2022 until his resignation in 2024. He previously served as Minister of Defense twice, under Ollanta Humala and Dina Boluarte.

Alberto Otárola
Prime Minister of Peru
In office 21 December 2022 – 5 March 2024[1]
President	Dina Boluarte
Preceded by	Pedro Angulo Arana
Succeeded by	Gustavo Adrianzén
Minister of Defense
In office 10 December 2022 – 21 December 2022
President	Dina Boluarte
Prime Minister	Pedro Angulo Arana
Preceded by	Gustavo Bobbio
Succeeded by	Jorge Chávez Cresta
In office 11 December 2011 – 14 May 2012
President	Ollanta Humala
Prime Minister	Oscar Valdes
Preceded by	Daniel Mora
Succeeded by	José Antonio Urquizo
Personal details
Born	Luis Alberto Otárola Peñaranda (1967-02-12) 12 February 1967 (age 57) Huaraz, Áncash, Peru
Political party	Independent (until 2020, 2021–present)
Other political affiliations	Peruvian Nationalist Party (2020–2021)
Alma mater	University of San Martín de Porres (LLB)
Profession	Lawyer
Nickname	El Carnicero[2][3]

During the Boluarte government, two massacres occurred under his leadership; the Ayacucho massacre while he was defense minister and the Juliaca massacre after he was promoted to the prime minister position. Attorney General of Peru Patricia Benavides announced investigations on 10 January 2023 for the alleged crimes of genocide, aggravated homicide and serious injuries against President Boluarte, along with Prime Minister Otárola.^[4]

Dina Boluarte asked for his resignation due to the dissemination of audio leaks in which it appeared that Otárola took advantage of his position to harass women, to whom he offered them jobs in the State.^[5]

Political career

Presidency of Ollanta Humala

Minister of Defense (2011–2012)

On 10 December 2011, when the first cabinet of President Ollanta Humala was recomposed, he was appointed Minister of Defense.^[6][7]

One of the most critical problems that the Humala government must face is the activity of a gang that operates in the VRAE zone in complicity with drug trafficking. On 9 April 2012, an armed group kidnapped 36 TGP (Transportadora de Gas del Perú) workers in the town of Kepashiato, in the Echarate district of the La Convencion province of the Cusco department. In response, the government launched the so-called "Operation Freedom", which deployed combined military and police forces to the area.^{[citation needed]}

According to the official version, the hostages were released due to pressure from the armed forces (14 April). However, the operation left eight personnel dead and several wounded; even so, it was officially said that it was a "flawless operation." But what most outraged public opinion was the fact that three Dinoes policemen were left to their fate in the jungle after getting off the helicopter that was transporting them, at which time they were attacked on 12 April. One of them, Lander Tamani, was killed in combat. The other two were declared missing. Seventeen days later, one of them, Luis Astuquillca, appeared alive, arriving by his own means in the town of Kiteni, despite being wounded in the leg; while the other, César Vilca, was found dead by his father, after he entered the rugged region on his own, counting only on the support of the locals. Despite this, the Ministry of the Interior issued a statement informing of the appearance of Vilca's body thanks to an intense search by the police.^{[citation needed]}

Public opinion reacted adversely and interpreted that the policemen had been left to their fate; for this reason, they demanded the resignation of Otárola and the Minister of Interior, Daniel Lozada.^[8]

On 3 May 2012, the motion of censure against Otárola and Lozada was presented in plenary session of Congress for "incapacity, lack of leadership and strategy." On 10 May, both ministers submitted their resignations, in order to avoid censorship in Congress.^[9] Their resignations were accepted by president Humala on 14 May 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Drug control activities

Between 2014 and 2016, Otárola was the director of DEVIDA, the Peruvian government's drug control administration.^[10] In April 2016, Otárola was elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council^[11] as one of the 13 members of the International Narcotics Control Board, an independent treaty body attached to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. His five-year term mandate began on 2 March 2017 and expired on 1 March 2022.^[12]

Otárola attempted a political comeback as Ollanta Humala's second running mate and a Nationalist Party congressional candidate at the 2021 general election, although his ticket placed tenth in the election and was not successful in his run for the Peruvian Congress. At the time, he called for a new constitution, saying that the Constitution of Peru was "Fujimorist Constitution", though he would later support the constitution while serving in the Boluarte government.^[13]

Presidency of Dina Boluarte

Minister of Defense (2022)

Further information: Ayacucho massacre

Following Pedro Castillo's removal from the Peruvian presidency, Dina Boluarte appointed Otárola to the cabinet as Minister of Defense, on 10 December 2022. On 15 December 2022, the Peruvian Army in Ayacucho massacred^[14] protesters demonstrating against the Boluarte government. During the protests, the situation intensified when the military deployed helicopters to fire at protesters, who later tried to take over the city's airport, which was defended by the Peruvian Army and the National Police of Peru.^[15][16] Troops responded by firing live ammunition at protesters, resulting in ten dead and 61 injured;^[17] 90% of the injured had gunshot wounds while those killed were shot in the head or torso.^[18][19] The founder of the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team (EPAF), forensic anthropologist Carmen Rosa Cardoza, analysed evidence surrounding those who were killed, saying that the military was shooting to kill and that the gunshot wounds in the head and torso were consistent with wounds suffered during human rights violations, explaining that wounds during an armed conflict are usually found on the extremities.^[20]

Sources close to President Boluarte, according to La Republica, reported that she wanted to resign from the presidency following the massacre, though Otárola convinced her that if she were to resign, her and other ministers would lose their immunity and possibly be prosecuted for crimes.^[21][22] Otárola then promised to Boluarte that he could build support for her from the Peruvian Armed Forces and right-wing groups according to La Republica.^[21] Boluarte would then make Otárola her prime minister on 21 December 2022.^[23]

Premiership (2022–2024)

Less than two weeks into Boluarte's presidency, on 21 December 2022, she appointed Otárola as prime minister, succeeding Pedro Angulo Arana. Following the Juliaca massacre where 18 civilians were killed and over 100 were injured by the Peruvian National Police, Otárola responded to the deaths stating those killed "express a direct responsibility of those who want to carry out a coup d'état in the country" and blamed imprisoned former president Pedro Castillo for the deaths.^[24] Wayka criticized Otárola's response, noting that during the 2020 Peruvian protests when two protesters were killed in Lima, Otárola condemned the response of authorities, stating "Arbitrary arrests and pure, hard repression are taking place against legitimate citizen protest".^[25] Attorney General of Peru Patricia Benavides announced investigations on 10 January 2023 for the alleged crimes of genocide, aggravated homicide and serious injuries against President Boluarte, along with Prime Minister Otárola, Minister of the Interior Víctor Rojas and Minister of Defense Jorge Chávez.^[4]

When the National University of San Marcos was raided by the Peruvian National Police on 12 January 2023, Otárola said that the actions and arrests of 200 people was justified since the university requested assistance,^[26] though the university's rector denied that she was aware of any police operation.^[27]

On 5 March 2024, Otarola resigned after the television program Panorama released recordings of his alleged conversations with a 25-year old woman named Yazire Pinedo, who had landed two contracts with a total worth of $14,000 to do archive and administrative work for the government. One of the recordings was said to have showed Otarola referring to Pinedo as "my love". However, in his resignation statement, he denied allegations of wrongdoing. Pinedo said the leaked conversations dated back from before Otarola's premiership in 2021, but acknowledged that she had a brief "perhaps sentimental relationship" with him.^[28]

Electoral history

Year	Office	Type	Party		Main opponent	Party		Votes for Otárola				Result	Swing
								Total	%	P.	±%
1989	Miraflores District Councilman	Municipal		Left Socialist Accord	Enrique del Campo Hohagen		Democratic Front	1,277 (List)	1.86%	4th	N/A	Lost		N/A[29]
1995	Congressman (Nation-wide)	General		Union for Peru	José Daniel Chuan Cabrera		Change 90 - New Majority	629	14.00%	2nd	N/A	Lost		N/A[30]
2011	Congressman from Lima	General		Decentralist Social Force Party	Luisa María Cuculiza		Force 2011	694	0.79%	9th	N/A	Lost		N/A[31]
2021	Congressman from Lima	General		Peruvian Nationalist Party	Yorry Wharton Cortez		Popular Renewal	1,197	0.80%	15th	N/A	Lost		N/A[32]
2021	Second Vice President of Peru	General		Peruvian Nationalist Party	Vladimir Cerrón		Free Peru	230,831	1.60%	13th	N/A	Lost		N/A[33]

References

1. "Alberto Otárola deja el Ejecutivo: Canciller adelanta que próximo Gabinete espera obtener confianza y una "segunda oportunidad"" (in Spanish).
2. Chillitupa, Por Rodrigo (6 April 2023). "Ciudadanos de Satipo llaman "carnicero" al primer ministro Alberto Otárola". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 4 March 2024.
3. "Vicente Romero le dice adiós al gabinete: todo sobre la aprobación de su censura en el Congreso". Diario Expreso. Lima. 15 November 2023.
4. "Fiscalía investigará a Dina Boluarte y a Alberto Otárola por genocidio". La Republica (in Spanish). 11 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
5. Vega, Renzo Gómez (5 March 2024). "Crece la presión para que el primer ministro peruano renuncie por los audios que lo implican en un presunto caso de acoso". El País América (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2024.
6. "Peru this Week - News - Meet Peru's new Ministers". 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
7. "Shining Path – not where Humala wants to spend time". Foreign Policy Blogs. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
8. "Peor imposible | LaRepublica.pe". 14 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
9. "Peru ministers resign over Shining Path rebel clashes". BBC News. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
10. ECOSOC Secretariat (2014). High Level Panel discussion: "Sustainable Development and the World Drug Problem: Challenges and Opportunities" (ECOSOC Chamber, Tuesday, 15 July 2014, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm) (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
11. ECOSOC (2016). Decision 2016/201 D. Elections, nominations, confirmations and appointments to subsidiary and related bodies of the Economic and Social Council (PDF). New York: United Nations. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
12. "Luis Alberto Otárola Peñaranda". INCB. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
13. Meza, Sebastian. "El día que Alberto Otárola llamó "Constitución fujimorista" a la carta magna del 93 y pidió su cambio". La Republica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
14.  • Vega, Renzo Gómez (16 December 2022). "La represión de las protestas y los bloqueos de carreteras causan 20 muertos en Perú". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022. La masacre sucedió en los alrededores del aeropuerto Alfredo Mendívil Duarte

    • Morales, Inés Santaeulalia, Mauricio (26 December 2022). "El día que murió Christopher, la víctima más joven de las protestas en Perú". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022. El adolescente de 15 años recibió un disparo que le atravesó el corazón durante la mayor masacre de las marchas en Ayacucho{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
    • "Toque de queda en Perú: Esto ha sido una masacre". Radio Sudamérica (in Spanish). 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2022. La periodista Elizabet Revollar Ochatoma, quien también es abogada, dialogó con Radio Sudamericana y dijo 'en Ayacucho hubo una seria vulneración de los derechos humanos ... Se están realizando las autopsias. Muchos de ellos tienen proyectiles de entrada y salida lo que nos lleva a decir que ha sido una masacre'
    • "Las protestas dejaron 25 muertos y más de 560 heridos". El Territorio (in Spanish). 19 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022. Sólo en la masacre ocurrida en los alrededores del aeropuerto de Ayacucho
    • Luján, Estéfany (18 December 2022). "Dolor por muertes tras violenta represión: mayoría son adolescentes o jóvenes y 4 menores con impacto de bala". infobae (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022. La masacre se produjo tras los enfrentamientos ocurridos alrededor del aeropuerto Alfredo Mendívil Duarte
    • "Recrudece la violencia en Ayacucho: disparos, bombas molotov, saqueos y destrucción". infobae (in European Spanish). 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022. Esto ha sido considerado por diversas voces como una masacre
    • "En medio de profundo pesar despiden a fallecidos durante manifestaciones en Ayacucho". Diario Correo (in Spanish). 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022. exigiendo que los responsables de la masacre, paguen por sus delitos
    • "A Massacre in Peru: Death Toll Tops 17 as Protests Mount After Ouster & Jailing of President Castillo". Democracy Now!. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022. What's going on is a massacre. ... But what is clear to me is that with the massacre that has been committed
    • "Defensoría: El uso de la fuerza por parte del Ejército no ha sido proporcionado en Ayacucho". Exitosa (in Spanish). 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022. Para la Defensoría, lo ocurrido en Ayacucho responde a una vulneración de los derechos humanos. 'En Huamanga ha ocurrido una masacre'
    • Valencia, Martha (16 December 2022). "Protestas en regiones: Ya son 18 los fallecidos en enfrentamientos". El Búho (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2022. Los ciudadanos están calificando de matanza, dado que según videos y testimonios, los soldados están disparando al cuerpo. ... Fue una matanza, afirman ciudadanos que tienen videos y testimonios.
15. "Perú: Se eleva a 18 las víctimas fatales de la represión en manifestaciones tras masacre de militares en Ayacucho". Resumen (in Spanish). 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
16. Rivas, Alba (24 December 2022). "El violento retorno del duelo en Ayacucho: las heridas se reabren en las víctimas del terrorismo". Ojo Público (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
17. "Ayacucho: Fiscalía abre investigación a 2 generales por 10 muertos en protestas". La Republica (in Spanish). 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
18. "90% de heridos en enfrentamientos en Ayacucho son por perdigones e impactos de bala". infobae (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
19. "Guido Bellido propone beneficio económico para deudos de fallecidos en protestas". infobae (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
20. "Ayacucho: sí hubo un patrón, les dispararon a matar". La Republica (in Spanish). 17 January 2023. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
21. "Dina Boluarte quiso renunciar tras primeros fallecidos, pero Otárola la convenció de quedarse". La Republica (in Spanish). 22 January 2023. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
22. "Dina Boluarte: de la izquierda radical a la colusión con la derecha y las Fuerzas Armadas". La Republica (in Spanish). 22 January 2023. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
23. "Peru's new president reshuffles cabinet as Mexico ties tested". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
24. "Alberto Otárola sobre fallecidos en Juliaca: "Estamos viviendo una resaca del golpe de Estado"". La Republica (in Spanish). 9 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
25. "Què tal cambio Otárola!". Wayka. 11 January 2023. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
26. "Otárola justifica violenta intervención en San Marcos: "Se hizo a solicitud de la casa de estudios"". La Republica (in Spanish). 21 January 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
27. "Gustavo Petro critica irrupción de PNP en San Marcos y Otárola responde: "Ocúpese de sus asuntos"". La Republica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
28. "Peru's Prime Minister Otarola resigns over allegations of influence-peddling". France 24. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
29. ""ELECCIONES MUNICIPALES 1989 - DISTRITAL"". Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
30. ""ELECCIONES GENERALES 1995 - CONGRESAL"". Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
31. ""ELECCIONES GENERALES 2011 - CONGRESAL"". Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
32. ""ELECCIONES GENERALES 2021 - CONGRESAL"". Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
33. ""ELECCIONES GENERALES 2021 - PRESIDENCIAL"". Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.

Political offices
Preceded by Pedro Angulo Arana	Prime Minister of Peru 2022–2024	Succeeded by Gustavo Adrianzén