Alejandro Toledo, the former President of Peru, has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for his involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal. He was convicted of taking $35 million in bribes from the Brazilian construction firm in exchange for a freeway construction contract. Toledo, who served as President from 2001 to 2006, received one of the harshest sentences yet in connection to Odebrecht’s bribery activities across Latin America.
Toledo’s trial lasted a year, during which he consistently denied charges of money laundering and collusion. He was first arrested in the United States in 2019 and was extradited back to Peru in 2022. Odebrecht scandals have led to the imprisonment of officials in Peru, Panama, and Ecuador, with investigations also underway in countries such as Guatemala and Mexico. The company has since changed its name to Novonor.
Toledo will serve his sentence in a specially constructed prison outside of Lima that houses former presidents. Two other ex-presidents, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Ollanta Humala, are also under investigation in connection to Odebrecht-related cases. Additionally, former President Pedro Castillo is currently detained and facing charges of “rebellion” after a failed attempt to dissolve Congress in 2022.
The Odebrecht corruption scandal has had far-reaching implications in Latin America, leading to the imprisonment of several high-profile leaders and officials. The sentencing of Toledo marks another significant development in the ongoing fight against corruption in the region.
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