Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo sentenced to 20 years in prison for the Odebrecht case
The former head of state was accused of receiving bribes of $35 million to award bids to the Brazilian construction company.
Alejandro Toledo, former president of Peru - Kristian George
This Monday, October 21, the Peruvian justice convicted former president Alejandro Toledo to 20 years and six months in prison, after he was found guilty of accepting bribes from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
"This professor assumes the request by the Prosecutor's Office of 20 years and six months in prison for Mr. Alejandro Toledo Manrique," the Superior Court sentenced on Monday.
According to the accusations, Toledo received up to $35 million in bribes to award bids in the construction of a major highway in Peru, which links the country's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast. For this, the former president faced charges of collusion and money laundering.
Toledo was found guilty on all charges brought by the Prosecutor's Office. According to the Judicial Power, "in the crime of collusion, the court sustains that a series of irregularities, unusual interference and acceleration of the bidding process of the referred work were demonstrated, illicit acts linked to Toledo Manrique."
Toledo is not the first Peruvian head of state to be involved in the Odebrecht corruption scheme, which has brought down a large part of Latin American politics. Other former presidents such as Ollanta Humala, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Alan Garcia have also been accused. The latter committed suicide in April 2019 just before being arrested.
The case began in 2016, when the same Brazilian construction company exposed the corruption scheme before the US justice system. Then, Toledo, who appeared to be involved, denied the accusations.
He kept his word until this past Wednesday, when before the judge, in the last hearing before the ruling, he said: "I am innocent. I never made any arrangement with Mr. [Jorge] Barata (Odebrecht's representative in Peru)."
In a final plea, Toledo argued that, because of his health, he should not be convicted.
"I have cancer and heart problems (...) I want to go to a private clinic. I ask you please: let me be cured or die at home," he said, his voice cracking.
Toledo, who was president of Peru between 2001 and 2006, was extradited by the United States in 2023, after the Peruvian justice system requested him for corruption cases. He had been arrested in 2019.
Since his extradition, finalized in April 2023, Toledo has been detained.
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