Peruvian Congresswoman Isabel Cortez Charged with Conflict‑of‑Interest Over Law Firm Ties

Isabel “Chabelita” Cortez, a member of Peru’s Congress, is the subject of a formal complaint alleging she used her parliamentary position to benefit clients of the law firm Calderón & Asociados, which is owned by the father of her congressional adviser, Luis Fernando Calderón Vargas.

Investigators say the adviser, officially a technical staff member for the congresswoman, also acted as a litigating attorney for the firm during normal office hours, offering legal advice and charging fees tied to the outcomes of cases.

The firm represented the workers’ union of the civil‑registry agency RENIEC in a lawsuit seeking more than one million soles in unpaid benefits. The complaint notes that Cortez arranged an urgent meeting with RENIEC’s head to discuss the case, with union representatives and her own advisors in attendance.

Anti‑corruption officials warned that while a congresswoman may support a union, receiving financial benefit or influencing a case in exchange for commissions constitutes illegal patronage and a conflict of interest.