The death of Andrea Vidal Gómez, a former Peruvian congressional worker, exposed an underground prostitution ring featuring high-ranking officials.
Vidal Gómez, a 27-year-old lawyer, was critically wounded in a shooting while travelling in a taxi in Lima’s La Victoria district on 9 December. She died a week later from her injuries.
The initial investigation dismissed the attack as unrelated extortion. However, reports surfaced linking Vidal Gómez to a prostitution network allegedly organised by Jorge Torres Saravia, the former head of the Legal and Constitutional Office of Congress.
Torres Saravia allegedly recruited women disguised as secretaries to provide sexual favours to certain politicians. Meanwhile, Vidal Gómez played a key role in running the network, providing those fictitious services. Authorities suspect that her murder after being dismissed was intended to conceal her awareness of the illegal activities.
The scandal involves Torres Saravia, a key member of the Alianza Para el Progreso (APP) party led by the governor of La Libertad, César Acuña. Torres was also accused of sexual harassment and links to influential APP figures, leading to his dismissal.
In addition to the National Prosecutor’s Office, the Commission of Oversight, chaired by Juan Burgos, launched a thorough investigation into the allegations.
This institution’s integrity is at stake. Those responsible must face justice.
Although the APP denies involvement and supports investigations, public outrage has intensified. A union of legislative workers demanded reform to prevent abuse of power. The investigation into the murder keeps revealing the alarming reality of power abuses in one of Peru’s most important institutions.
