Bruno Pacheco (politician)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pacheco and the second or maternal family name is Castillo.

Bruno Pacheco
Secretary General of the Presidency of Peru
In office
29 July 2021 – 23 November 2021
PresidentPedro Castillo
Preceded byFélix Pino Figueroa
Succeeded byCarlos Jaico Carranza
Personal details
BornArnulfo Bruno Pacheco Castillo
(1970-02-05) 5 February 1970
NationalityPeruvian
PartyWe Are Peru (2009-present)
OccupationTeacher and politician

Arnulfo Bruno Pacheco Castillo (born 5 February 1970) is a Peruvian politician and former presidential secretary of Peru.[1] He served in that position and as presidential chief of staff[2] under Peruvian President Pedro Castillo.[3] During 2022, Pacheco was a fugitive, but on 25 July of that year, he surrendered to authorities.

Early life

Pacheco was born in Lima. He studied education and became a teacher at Peru's high school level, teaching biology and chemistry there since 1998. He also taught physical education, financial math and technical design at Peru's Chorillos Military School. During 2009, he decided to launch his political career, joining the Peruvian party, Somos Peru.[4]

According to IDL-Reporteros, Pacheco used his closeness to President Castillo without the president's knowledge, with a Government Palace insider telling IDL that the president was indecisive while political aides used his name for their own interests.[5] During November 2021, Peruvian prosecutors ("Fiscalia de la Nacion") found the sum of $20,000 dollars inside the office that Pacheco occupied as presidential secretary.[6] Pacheco alleged that the amount of money found was part of his salary as secretary and of some savings he had accumulated. The finding of the money took place after, earlier that month, general Jose Vizcarra Alvarez declared that Pacheco, as well as president Castillo and defence minister Walter Ayala had asked him to help promote two colonels to higher rankings in the Peruvian Army.[7]

On 11 April 2022, Pacheco appeared on national television in Peru, saying that he had received both threats and offers to bear witness in favor of certain government groups, without specifying which of those groups he referred to.[8] The next day, judge Manuel Antonio Chuyo ordered Pacheco to serve a 36 months sentence of preventive prison time and also asked for his capture.[9] Pacheco soon appealed the 36 months sentence.[10]

On Monday, 18 April 2022, Pacheco's lawyer, William Paco Castillo, announced he would no longer defend the fugitive. Paco Castillo said that Pacheco had evidence that proved his innocence but was withholding it from investigators, and that after speaking to Pacheco, the lawyer and his client had decided that they would split over some disagreements between the two. Lawyer Paco Castillo also said that Pacheco does not want to be helped.[11]

On 10 May, Lima's supreme court lowered Pacheco's sentence to 24 months instead of the 36 originally imposed to him.[12]

Peruvian authorities obtained an order of arrest against Pacheco and against Peru's former minister of transportation, Juan Silva.[13] On 17 May, the order against Pacheco became an international order of arrest against him and against another co-defendant, Fray Vazquez Castillo, as the Peruvian National Police feared they might have escaped to another country.[14]

Arrest

On 25 July 2022, Pacheco gave himself up to authorities and was arrested at a house in Chorrillos. He was arrested by Harvey Colchado and taken by the "Equipo Especial de Fiscales Contra la Corrupcion en el Poder" ("Prosecutors' Special Team Against Top Government Corruption" or "EEFCCP"), after three days of dealings with that team.[15]

His arrest was announced publicly by Peru's Attorney General, Patricia Benavides.[16]

Alleged connections

Pacheco is also suspected of having personal connections to other people with political power in Peru, namely Vladimir Meza and Fernando Manrique, the latter of which who is a nephew of former President of Peru, Alejandro Toledo.[17]

Panorama show allegation

The Peruvian television show, Panorama, alleged that until 17 February 2022, the Peruvian Police knew where Pacheco was located and that documents demonstrated that Pacheco was living at Ate District in Lima.[18] The police then lost track of Pacheco, until he was arrested on 25 July.

2024

As of 2024, Pacheco was involved in another controversy in Peru, this time concerning an investigation by Peru's supreme prosecutor, Delia Espinoza, against SUNAT's former superintendent Luis Enrique Vera Castillo.[19]

Karelim López

Peruvian businesswoman Karelim López is also involved in the scandal and investigations. On 17 July 2022, she declared to Peruvian television channel, America TV, that she believed Pacheco was withholding evidence that could implicate president Pedro Castillo in the scandal and that would prove Pacheco's innocence, and that Pacheco was being helped escape the police by the country's government.[20]

Personal life

Pacheco is a supporter of the Peru national football team.[21]

Health problems

He has diabetes, hypertension and heart problems related to a left-sided mitral valve.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bruno Pacheco: ¿Quién es el secretario del presidente Pedro Castillo que intervino en ascensos?". infobae (in European Spanish). 9 November 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Peru's chief of staff stashed $20,000 in palace bathroom". BBC News. 24 November 2021.
  3. ^ "¿Quién es Bruno Pacheco, secretario del presidente Castillo que intervino en ascensos del Ejército y FAP?". larepublica.pe (in Spanish). 11 November 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Quién es Bruno Pacheco, secretario del presidente Castillo que intervino en ascensos del Ejército y FAP?". 11 November 2021.
  5. ^ "El sombrero y el avestruz". IDL Reporteros. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  6. ^ "El increíble sueldo que ganaba Bruno Pacheco, el polémico secretario del presidente Pedro Castillo". Infomercado. 24 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Fiscal de la Nación dispone investigar a Pedro Castillo por ascensos en las FF. AA". Prensa Regional. 13 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Bruno Pacheco afirmó que recibe amenazas y ofertas para declarar". TVPerú. 11 April 2022.
  9. ^ "PJ dicta 36 meses de prisión preventiva contra Bruno Pacheco". TVPerú. 12 April 2022.
  10. ^ "PJ decidirá en próximos días recursos de revocatoria a prisión preventiva para involucrados en caso Puente Tarata III". TVPerú. 3 May 2022.
  11. ^ Regional, Prensa (18 April 2022). "Abogado de Bruno Pacheco renuncia a su defensa | Prensa Regional".
  12. ^ "PJ varió a 24 meses orden de prisión preventiva contra Bruno Pacheco y otros". TVPerú. 10 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Prosecutors accuse Peru's president of leading corruption ring". 15 June 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  14. ^ "PNP emite alerta internacional de búsqueda y captura de Bruno Pacheco y Fray Vásquez". TVPerú. 17 May 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Bruno Pacheco: Su entrega, delitos y todo lo que se sabe del exsecretario de Palacio".
  16. ^ "Ex-adviser to Peru president arrested after months on the run". Reuters. 26 July 2022.
  17. ^ PERÚ, NOTICIAS EL COMERCIO (30 May 2022). "Bruno Pacheco Registro de llamadas del exsecretario general de Palacio de Gobierno muestra constantes comunicaciones con Zamir Villaverde | Pedro Castillo | Palacio de Gobierno | RMMN | | POLITICA". El Comercio Perú.
  18. ^ Regional, Prensa (20 June 2022). "PNP sabía la ubicación de Bruno Pacheco hasta febrero, pero le perdieron el rastro | Prensa Regional".
  19. ^ "Bruno Pacheco: investigación contra exjefe de la Sunat por encubrir a exsecretario de Pedro Castillo a punto de ir a juicio". infobae. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  20. ^ "Karelim López afirma que Bruno Pacheco tiene pruebas contra Pedro Castillo".
  21. ^ "Alentó desde la clandestinidad: Bruno Pacheco y su sorpresivo mensaje a la selección peruana". 13 June 2022.
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