Powerful blasts on Tuesday, July 24, rocked the Ricardo Palma clinic in Lima's San Isidro district, causing alarm among the population.
Preliminary investigations revealed the perpetrators were two siblings who sought vengeance over their mother's death due to alleged medical negligence at the private hospital.
10:11 AM. Firefighters reported an explosion at Ricardo Palma clinic on Javier Prado Ave.
10:15 AM. Several police and fire units arrived at the healthcare facilities.
10:17 AM. Patients, medical staff, and people in the area close to the explosion were rapidly evacuated.
10:18 AM. Nearby streets were closed due to the emergency.
10:20 AM. Preliminary reports indicated that two explosions occurred almost simultaneously: One at the parking lot and one at the lab.
10:30 AM. Police officers and firefighters reported at least 20 people were injured. Provoked attack theory started to make sense. Perpetrators were seriously hurt.
Later, Lima Police General Gaston Rodriguez stated the emergency was triggered by the explosion of two backpacks and the motive was extortion or intimidation.
Attorney General Pedro Chavarry announced that two individuals were detained —a man and a woman— as suspects of the attack.
1:00 PM. According to General Rodriguez, pieces of fabric and a buckle were found in the place. They are believed to belong to the backpacks that held the explosives. The seriously wounded individuals might be involved in the attack. Both underwent surgery and remain at the clinic.
7:45 PM. Police authorities gave a press conference to inform that the perpetrators of the explosions have been identified as Alexander Lenin Benites Aguilar (a 40-year-old accountant) and Claudia Rocio Benites Aguilar (a 44-year-old dentist).
General Jose Baella, head of the anti-terrorism squad (Dircote), revealed the siblings agreed to perpetrate the attack because their mother died at the Ricardo Palma clinic due to alleged medical negligence.
The Benites brought the case before the Judicial Branch and Indecopi, with the latter fining the hospital S/330,000 (about US$100,763), although that was not enough for the family. They wanted to hold doctors responsible for their mother's care in jail.
This morning: Alejandro Benites Gomez —Lenin and Claudia's father— confirmed the act was done in vengeance over the death of his wife, Victoria Aguirre Oviedo.
The man tried to justify the act by saying his children remain deeply affected by their mother's death five years ago.
(END) LIT/RRC/RMB
Publicado: 25/7/2018