Robert de la Cruz denounces smear campaign in Trujillo election

Robert de la Cruz, the Podemos Perú candidate for the provincial mayoralty of Trujillo, has denounced a “dirty war” campaign orchestrated by the Alianza Para el Progreso (APP) party. The controversy stems from the appearance of defamatory posters and banners across the city that attempt to link De la Cruz to the legal defense of criminal organizations, including ‘Los Pulpos’, ‘La Jauría’, and ‘Los Plataneros’.

De la Cruz addressed these allegations by clarifying his professional background as a criminal defense lawyer. He stated that his legal representation of a relative of a leader from ‘Los Pulpos’ occurred prior to his entry into politics in 2016. He argued that his professional duties should not be used to criminalize lawyers based on the clients they represent, emphasizing that his work was a contracted legal service.

In protest, De la Cruz collected the defamatory materials and discarded them in front of the APP headquarters. He has filed a formal complaint with local police and requested surveillance footage to identify those responsible for the overnight distribution of the posters. Supported by several legal colleagues, De la Cruz maintains that these attacks are an attempt to damage his image during the electoral contest.