LIMA, PERU — The Public Ministry of Peru has officially modified the legal framework surrounding the tragic homicide of journalist and political candidate Susy Aponte Polo, widely known in the region as ‘La China Polo’. Initially opened under gender-based violence protocols, the judicial inquiry is now formally investigated as a suspected contract killing.
The case is directed by the Second Provincial Corporate Penal Prosecutor's Office of Huaylas, headed by Prosecutor Raúl Godos Sedán alongside Deputy Prosecutor Sheyla Romero Zárate. The transition of jurisdiction marks a critical shift in how law enforcement agencies approach the assassination, which took place during campaign activities in the municipality of Caraz, located in the department of Áncash.
During the ongoing judicial proceedings, security forces detained a 29-year-old individual during a morning intervention in the Lima district of Surco. Intelligence units successfully tracked the vehicle utilized by the suspect, executing a targeted capture. The suspect joins another individual previously placed under custody as investigations progress across multiple regions.
Official records from investigative entities identify the individuals currently held under flagrante delicto:
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- Luis Obispo Díaz, of Venezuelan nationality, apprehended with a firearm during a personal search.
- Ronal Toro Artila, of Venezuelan nationality, located in Lima and transferred to Caraz for legal accountability.
The fatal incident occurred on September 19, 2026, when Susy Aponte Polo was conducting a political walk near the local market in Caraz, accompanied by supporters. Armed assailants targeted the candidate directly, inflicting a severe head wound before fleeing the scene. Several accompanying individuals sustained injuries during the shooting. Medical personnel at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Caraz confirmed her death shortly after admission.
Prior to her passing, Aponte Polo had publicly addressed various local administrative irregularities and filed denunciations concerning public officials and political entities. Authorities continue to analyze video surveillance footage from a hotel in Caraz as part of the evidentiary review to clarify all circumstances surrounding the event.
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