According to a witness in the case, the deputy’s communications were intercepted. (Channel N)
After questioning by its parliamentary group, Fuerza Popular announced that it would remove Luis Cordero Jon Tay, who was embroiled in a spy scandal, from its ranks, following his defenses.
On Tuesday, March 7, members of the Public Ministry and the National Police (PNP) temporarily detained “The Spaniard,” alias Jorge Hernandez Fernandez, former right-hand man to Pedro Castillo.
It was discovered that Hernandez Fernandez was coordinating actions, ordered by the former president, to spy on and intercept communications of opponents of the Castillo administration.
Opposition parliamentarians from different parties, National Prosecutor Patricia Benavides, PNP Colonel Harvey Colchado (general coordinator of the special support team), and others were on that list, according to the witness.
The insider also revealed that Cordero Jon Tay, a so-called “Fujimorista,” supported Hernandez Fernandez’s efforts and movements. The witness even stated that the legislator went to Panama with former Navy intelligence officer Carlos Barba to assess the spy team that he was going to buy.
“We have removed him from the bench and removed him from the intelligence committee (of the Congress of the Republic). I think we need to go further (in investigations). At the moment, Luis Cordero Jon Tay’s statements do not convince us,” argued Alexandre Aguinaga, congressman of Fuerza Popular, about his now ex-colleague.
The Fujimori bench announced the withdrawal of Cordero from the intelligence committee just one day after this fact became known.
According to a conversation obtained by the prosecution, Hernandez Fernandez assured Carlos Barba that Cordero had “helped a lot” within the working group.
In statements to the media on Thursday, March 9, Aguinaga reaffirmed that the accused had had the opportunity to present his defenses during a meeting of his group in Congress after the fact was reported. However, he added that Cordero’s statements were not credible.
“We heard about Cordero on Tuesday night, and now we have to listen to other members of Congress. The situation is more significant than we would have imagined,” he stressed.