Catherin Palomino denies leaked chats alleging relationship with Pedro Castillo

Peruvian lawmaker Catherin Palomino of the Juntos por el Perú party is facing controversy following the release of WhatsApp messages allegedly sent to the family of former President Pedro Castillo. The messages, reportedly sent from a phone number linked to Palomino during her time as a virtual parliamentarian, include confrontational language and claims of a romantic relationship with Castillo. One message states, “And regarding my relationship with Pedro Castillo, whether you like it or not, he is my partner.”

Palomino has denied being the author of the messages, claiming her phone was subject to unauthorized access. She is currently evaluating legal action regarding the dissemination of the chats, which she argues damage her reputation. While the reportage noted a lack of a formal police report regarding the alleged device breach, the incident has drawn significant public and political attention to her ties with Castillo’s inner circle.