Robert De La Cruz acquitted in Trujillo market demolition case

The Judiciary has acquitted Robert De La Cruz Rosas, a candidate for the mayoralty of Trujillo, regarding allegations of aggravated usurpation. The case stemmed from an April 2020 municipal operation at the La Hermelinda market, where structures in a designated unloading zone were demolished.

At the time of the incident, De La Cruz was serving as a provincial councilman for Trujillo. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 6 years and 8 months, alleging he had ordered the destruction of the stalls. However, Judge Juan Bendezú Villena ruled that there was no reliable evidence to prove that De La Cruz issued orders for the demolition. The judge also noted inconsistencies in the case, including the fact that the complaint was filed five months after the event occurred.

Following the ruling, De La Cruz, a member of the Podemos Perú party, stated that the acquittal marks the end of what he described as political persecution orchestrated by the Alianza para el Progreso (APP) party. The decision clears his path to continue his electoral campaign for the Trujillo municipality.