Toledo, 77, has been in the custody of Peru’s justice system since 2018 on corruption charges. It is pointed out to him that he allegedly received more than $25 million from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in exchange for help obtaining public works contracts.
The former president, who was president of his country from 2001 to 2006, denies the allegations.
Before his imminent extradition, he told the EFE agency on Thursday: “I ask the Peruvian justice not to kill me in prison, let me fight the arguments.”
He confirmed that he rejects corruption and that he has “never” received “a single ill-gotten dollar”.
On Thursday, a U.S. federal judge denied his request for an extradition stay granted in February by the U.S. State Department.
Silvana Carrión, the Peruvian prosecutor in the case, said the agents would travel to the United States with prosecutors to process the transfer from Toledo to Lima.
“His transfer to Lima will depend on the arrival of the Peruvian authorities in the United States and the most suitable commercial flight that can be found,” he told Canal N. “Toledo could be here in two or three days.” He said.
The former president was held in California custody from July 2019 until March 2020 when he was placed under house arrest.
Peru’s prosecutor’s office confirmed this Friday that it would request sentence of 20 years in prison for Toledo.
Corruption allegations
Since 2015, two cases of alleged corruption have been under judicial investigation in Toledo.
First, he was accused of money laundering to purchase two properties in his mother-in-law’s name for about US$4.5 million with allegedly undeclared funds.
These acquisitions were made, according to the prosecution, through ghost company created in Costa Rica under the name of Ecotev.
Shortly thereafter, he was linked to an international bribery scandal involving a Brazilian construction company. debrecht.
In November 2016, Jorge Barata, a former director of Odebrecht in Peru, assured that country’s prosecutors that the construction company paid Toledo US$20 million in exchange for awarding sections 2 and 3 of the South Interocean Highway.
The contract for the construction of this highway, connecting the south of Peru with Brazil, was signed in August 2005.
However, Barata spoke of a larger amount and said that the bribes amounted to $31 million. Finally, Peruvian prosecutors set the amount at about $25 million.
money would be transferred to accounts offshore Peruvian-Israeli businessman Josef Maiman, then a friend of Toledo, and then an employee of the Peruvian prosecutor’s office. Maiman, in statements to prosecutors cited by the Peruvian media, claimed to have received bribes of up to US$35 million for Toledo.
Of this amount, about $4 million would have come from bribes. Camargo Correaanother Brazilian construction company, for the award of Section 4 Interoceánica, according to Maiman.
Toledo’s defense argued that Maiman was inconsistent and that it was up to the businessman to prove that the payments he received were for Toledo.
The alleged bribes were part of a package of bribes to Latin American leaders and officials that construction company executives admitted before US judicial authorities. They valued the payout at around US$788 million.
These payments concerned not only Toledo in Peru, but also former presidents. Alan Garcia (2006-2011) and Ollanta Humala (2011-2016).
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Source: La Opinion
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.