A man living in Spain reported former Senator Penadés for repeated sexual abuse via video call.
From Spain, a man in his 50s testified via video call before the Prosecutor's Office, accusing former Senator Gustavo Penadés of repeated abuses that occurred in the 1990s. The complaint includes threats and contradictions that opened new lines of investigation.
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The complaint was filed by video call with the Prosecutor's Office from Spain against Gustavo Penadés.
A new testimony has been added to the case investigating alleged sexual crimes committed by former Senator Gustavo Penadés. This time, the statement came from abroad: a man currently living in Spain appeared before the Prosecutor's Office via video call to file a complaint against the former leader of the National Party.
According to his testimony, the complainant was 17 years old when he met Penadés, in a relationship that, he claims, lasted between 1993 and 1995. Today, at around 50 years old, the man decided to break his silence and recount the abuse he claims to have suffered.
During the hearing, the complainant harshly expressed his indignation and pain. According to sources close to the case, he used phrases such as "he's a pig" and asked that he "rot in jail." He also stated, in a tone of rejection and helplessness, that if he were the father of any of the current minor complainants, "I would put a .38 revolver to his head" and "kill him."
In light of these statements, the judge in the case decided to consider possible threats, in addition to evaluating other facts mentioned during the hearing, some of which could involve third parties in sexually motivated situations.
The complainant provided details about the encounters with Penadés and described alleged instances of sexual violence. However, his statement raised some doubts in the Prosecutor's Office, especially when he claimed that Penadés asked him not to film with his cell phone during their encounters, something unlikely in the 1990s, when these devices didn't have cameras.
Despite the inconsistencies, the complaint was recorded as part of the case file and is added to the body of testimony that has been key to the progress of the investigation.
The Penadés case has been one of the most high-profile cases in recent times in Uruguay's political and judicial spheres. The new statement from abroad could open new lines of investigation and provide elements that reinforce—or call into question—existing allegations.
