Overview
- The 30th Specialized Investigatory Court in Lima, which issued its trial order Tuesday, sent Molinelli and 12 others to an oral trial before a single-judge criminal court.
- Prosecutors seek 10 years in prison, a 10-year ban from public office, 487 day-fines, and joint civil damages of US$268,545,974, including US$168,545,974 for alleged state losses and US$100,000 for non-economic harm.
- The case centers on an addendum to the Chinchero airport concession contract that prosecutors say hurt the public purse, with six defendants labeled alleged authors and seven as alleged accomplices.
- The defense cites an international arbitration award that found the addendum lawful and argues the matter is already settled, noting two rejected exceptions now on appeal and a separate appeal of the trial order that could delay the start of hearings.
- Molinelli, who is running for president, called the move politicized in an RPP interview and pointed to pending appeals, while broader coverage highlights how the trial could shape oversight of big infrastructure contracts in Peru.