# Trujillo mayoral candidate legal and political controversies

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/trujillo-mayoral-candidate-legal-and-political-controversies
> Updated: 2026-09-17T12:04:00.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 3.

Robert De La Cruz, the Podemos Perú candidate for the provincial mayoralty of Trujillo, has faced legal and political challenges during his electoral campaign.

In August 2026, the Judiciary acquitted De La Cruz of aggravated usurpation charges related to a 2020 municipal demolition of structures at the La Hermelinda market. While prosecutors sought a prison sentence, Judge Juan Bendezú Villena ruled there was no reliable evidence that De La Cruz ordered the demolition. De La Cruz characterized the acquittal as the end of “political persecution” by the Alianza para el Progreso (APP) party.

By mid-September 2026, the campaign intensified as De La Cruz denounced a “dirty war” involving defamatory posters and banners distributed across Trujillo. These materials attempted to link him to the legal defense of criminal organizations such as ‘Los Pulpos’, ‘La Jauría’, and ‘Los Plataneros’. De La Cruz clarified that his past legal representation of a relative of a gang leader was a professional service performed before his political career began in 2016, arguing that professional duties should not be used to criminalize lawyers.

In response to these attacks, De La Cruz discarded the defamatory materials in front of the APP headquarters and filed a formal police complaint to identify those responsible. The controversy escalated when APP candidate Mario Reyna Rodríguez publicly questioned De La Cruz’s suitability for office due to his legal history with individuals linked to ‘Los Pulpos’ and ‘Los Malditos de Chicago’. Reyna also addressed internal APP issues, claiming the party's decline in La Libertad is due to the inclusion of individuals with questionable reputations.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-17: Trujillo mayoral candidates clash over legal backgrounds and party integrity

Trujillo mayoral candidates Mario Reyna (APP) and Robert De La Cruz (Podemos Perú) are engaged in heated political disputes regarding past legal associations and party integrity.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trujillo-mayoral-candidates-clash-over-legal-backgrounds-and-party-integrity

### 2026-09-13: Robert de la Cruz denounces smear campaign in Trujillo election

Trujillo mayoral candidate Robert de la Cruz has denounced a smear campaign by the APP party linking his past legal work for criminal associates to his political candidacy.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-la-cruz-denounces-smear-campaign-in-trujillo-election

### 2026-08-18: Robert De La Cruz acquitted in Trujillo market demolition case

Robert De La Cruz Rosas, a Trujillo mayoral candidate, has been acquitted of aggravated usurpation charges related to a 2020 demolition at La Hermelinda market.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/robert-de-la-cruz-acquitted-in-trujillo-market-demolition-case

---
Cite as: Trujillo mayoral candidate legal and political controversies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/trujillo-mayoral-candidate-legal-and-political-controversies