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Zoraida Ávalos

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Zoraida Ávalos
Attorney General of Peru [es]
In office
8 January 2019 – 30 March 2022
Preceded byPedro Chávarry [es]
Succeeded byPablo Sanchez Velarde
Member of the Board of Supreme Prosecutors [es]
In office
18 December 2013 – 21 June 2023
Personal details
Born
Zoraida Ávalos Rivera

(1957-06-14) 14 June 1957 (age 67)
Callao, Peru
Education
OccupationJurist

Zoraida Ávalos Rivera (born 14 June 1957) is a Peruvian jurist who served as the country's attorney general [es] from 8 January 2019 to 30 March 2022.

Biography

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Zoraida Ávalos was born in Callao on 14 June 1957. She graduated from the National University of San Marcos in 1981 with a law degree, and completed her master's and doctorate degrees at Federico Villarreal National University.[1]

She was appointed president of the Board of Supreme Attorneys [es] by the National Board of Justice on 18 December 2013.[2] During the 2014 election for a new attorney general for the 2015–2018 term, Ávalos voted for Carlos Ramos Heredia, cousin of then first lady Nadine Heredia.[3] He had come under scrutiny for reported mismanagement as head of the Organ of Internal Control of the Attorney General's Office, as well as obstruction of justice.[4] Ávalos defended her decision, stating, "I feel that I am being sentenced for voting for Ramos Heredia, but in a state of law I have the right to choose."[5] On 28 April 2014, two attorneys filed a complaint in which they alleged that the National Board of Justice, under the influence of Heredia, had acted in a biased manner to favor Ávalos and another attorney, Nora Miraval Gambini, with their appointments to the Board of Supreme Attorneys, despite having failed written exams required to belong to said body. In exchange, they contended, Heredia received the votes of the new board members to be elected as attorney general.[6]

On 2 August 2018, prosecutor José Domingo Pérez [es] and former attorney general Pablo Sánchez Velarde [es] both argued that Ávalos should take over as the new attorney general.[7] On 8 August, the IDL-Reporteros journalist Gustavo Gorriti described Ávalos as "the best qualified person to assume the office of Attorney General," given the judicial conflict that had started with the CNM Audios scandal, which implicated incumbent attorney general Pedro Chávarry [es].[8] On 22 August 2018, she was appointed by Chávarry as the new head of the Supreme Attorney's Office of Internal Control, replacing Jorge Antonio Bernal Cavero.[9] On 6 January 2019, one day after Chávarry presented his letter of resignation due to media pressure, Sánchez reiterated his support for Ávalos assuming the office of attorney general.[10] Two days later, she was appointed interim attorney general, pending an election by the Board of Supreme Attorneys.[11] On 7 March 2019, she was ratified in office for a three-year term.[12]

During her tenure, she led investigations into alleged misconduct of presidents Martín Vizcarra and Pedro Castillo.[13] With the latter president, she faced criticism from the Congress of Peru for not taking investigations further, though Zoraida Ávalos would respond that she was attempting to respect Article 117 of the Constitution of Peru.[13] She was removed from being a Supreme Prosecutor of the Nation and barred from her position for five years on 21 June 2023 after the Congress of Peru reportedly attempted to gain control of key governmental institutions through Attorney General Patricia Benavides during the Peruvian political crisis.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Professional qualifications" (PDF) (in Spanish). National Board of Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  2. ^ "El CNM elige a Zoraida Ávalos Rivera, como fiscal suprema titular" [The CNM Chooses Zoraida Ávalos Rivera as Head Supreme Attorney]. La República (in Spanish). 18 December 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  3. ^ Libón, Óscar; Sánchez, Pilar (5 January 2014). "Primo de Nadine Heredia es candidato a Fiscal de la Nación" [Nadine Heredia's Cousin is Candidate for Attorney General]. Perú.21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Zoraida Ávalos votó por Ramos Heredia" [Zoraida Ávalos Voted for Ramos Heredia]. Expreso (in Spanish). 5 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Zoraida Ávalos: Siento que se me está sentenciado por votar por Ramos Heredia" [Zoraida Ávalos: I Feel That I am Being Sentenced for Voting for Ramos Heredia] (in Spanish). Canal N. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. ^ Cruz Arana, Rodrigo (28 April 2014). "Fiscales que votaron por Ramos Heredia fueron favorecidas" [Attorneys Who Voted for Ramos Heredia Were Favored]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Lima. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Fiscal Pérez: 'No estoy a favor de que Pedro Chávarry ni Pablo Sánchez asuman el Ministerio Público'" [Attorney Pérez: 'I am Not in Favor of Pedro Chávarry or Pablo Sánchez Taking Over the Public Ministry']. LaMula.pe (in Spanish). 3 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Gustavo Gorriti: 'Zoraida Ávalos es la persona mejor calificada para asumir el cargo de Fiscal de la Nación'" [Gustavo Gorriti: 'Zoraida Ávalos is the Best Qualified Person to Assume the Office of Attorney General']. LaMula.pe (in Spanish). 4 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Fiscal Zoraida Ávalos es la nueva jefe de la Fiscalía Suprema de Control Interno" [Attorney Zoraida Ávalos is New Head of the Supreme Attorney's Office of Internal Control] (in Spanish). Canal N. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  10. ^ Reyes Quinteros, Alvaro (6 January 2019). "Pablo Sánchez: 'Zoraida Ávalos debe asumir como fiscal de la Nación'" [Pablo Sánchez: 'Zoraida Ávalos Must Take Over as Attorney General']. Perú.21 (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Zoraida Ávalos asume Fiscalía de la Nación tras renuncia de Pedro Chávarry" [Zoraida Ávalos Assumes the Office of Attorney General After the Resignation of Pedro Chávarry]. El Comercio (in Spanish). 8 January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Zoraida Ávalos fue ratificada como fiscal de la Nación" [Zoraida Ávalos Ratified as Attorney General] (in Spanish). Radio Programas del Perú. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Patriau, Enrique (22 June 2023). "El Congreso embiste contra el Ministerio Público e inhabilita a Zoraida Ávalos". La República (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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