Kelly Portalatino suddenly resigns from her position in Peru following a TikTok broadcast by Vladimir Cerrón.

The legislator Kelly Portalatino announced on Friday his resignation from the Free Peru bench, just a few hours after a Tiktok transmission from the fugitive leader of the party, Vladimir Cerrón. This unexpected move has stirred significant attention and speculation in political circles.

Portalatino submitted his resignation via a trade addressed to the group’s holder, Flavio Cruz, stating that his choice was motivated by “strictly personal reasons.” In his letter, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as part of the parliamentary group, highlighting his commitment to working “for the benefit of the most vulnerable sectors in the country” while fully embracing the party’s program and ideology.

This resignation coincided with a live broadcast from Cerrón, who without showing his face, interacted with over 9,000 viewers. During this session, he denied any allegiance to the “caviars” within the government, attributing control to former Prime Minister Aníbal Torres. He further disclosed ongoing internal conflicts with former President Pedro Castillo.

In July last year, the program Panorama revealed that Congresswoman Portalatino had warned Cerrón to avoid being located by authorities through a series of WhatsApp and Telegram messages. These communications, dating back to January, coincided with an unsuccessful attempt by the National Police (PNP) to find the leader of Free Peru at an exclusive condominium.

One message read, “Urgent, formal issue. Fiscal issue,” sent just minutes before another followed, advising, “Change location, take your measures, do not expose yourself.” The urgency of these messages suggested a troubling connection between the legislator and the fugitive leader.

Following these revelations, advisors claimed that these conversations would undergo scrutiny. Panorama also aired other messages illustrating Cerrón’s strategies against congressional decisions, emphasizing, “They have no votes, you have to keep walking.”

Amidst these accusations, Portalatino denied any ongoing communication with the fugitive leader, asserting, “I cannot specify since when. It has been a political persecution.” She stressed that Cerrón and the supporters of Free Peru do not consider him a fugitive but rather someone sheltering for safety.

Portalatino emphasized that everyone on the left would be targets of political persecution, making it necessary to pave the way for any investigations. This statement reflects the challenging and often hostile political atmosphere in Peru.

Following this, several audio recordings containing risqué comments allegedly from Cerrón surfaced, reportedly sent during a drunken state in early 2022. One audio expressed intriguing sentiments for Portalatino, leading her to state, “Particularly about these audios, I feel flattered. Any woman would feel flattered.”

Despite the personal overtones in the audios, Portalatino maintained her stance of professionalism, concluding, “I have no relationship beyond professional respect.” This comment exemplifies her commitment to separating personal emotion from political duty.