Peru's Attorney General Pablo Sanchez and Brazilian counterpart Rodrigo Janot on Friday signed a joint statement to intensify information exchange in order to deepen transnational corruption investigations, clearly alluding the Odebrecht case.
The document was inked following a meeting at the Brazilian Attorney General's Office headquarters in Brasilia.
The statement is aimed at bolstering the anticorruption fight within the framework of the United Nations' Convention against Corruption and the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
Likewise, it considers the Lima Declaration, signed on March 30, 2016 at the Latin American Summit of Attorneys General, organized by the Peruvian Public Ministry.
"The Public Ministries of both countries will intensify international cooperation on criminal matters, particularly towards deepening ongoing transnational corruption investigations of public officials or high authorities," the statement reads.
As part of investigations into Odebrecht's major graft case, Peruvian Attorney General Sanchez met with Brazilian counterpart Janot and Justice Ministry Executive Secretary Jose Levi Mello do Amaral Junior, the Andean nation's Public Ministry informed.
"It has been a highly productive trip. [The visit] has allowed us to consolidate international judicial cooperation between both countries, as well as the commitment to address the requests we've made and other key requests we will make shortly," Peru's Attorney General affirmed.
The Peruvian official flew to the neighboring territory last Wednesday to meet with various Brazilian authorities. He is joined by Alonso Peña, Head of the International Legal Cooperation and Extraditions Unit at the Public Ministry.
Interviews are aimed at strengthening cooperation ties with Brazilian authorities to facilitate the gathering of information necessary to clarify bribes paid by the construction colossus in Peru.
Odebrecht graft
As is known, the Brazilian conglomerate admitted to having distributed bribes worth approximately US$29 million in Peru to secure infrastructure contracts.
As a result, the family-owned giant benefited from over US$143 million in 2005-2014. Said period spans over the presidencies of Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), Alan Garcia (2006-2011) and Ollanta Humala (2001-2016).
The case is being investigated by a Public Ministry–Prosecutor's Office special team under Anticorruption Prosecutor Hamilton Castro.
Earlier this week, the Comptroller General's Office revealed that public work contracts signed with Brazilian engineering company Odebrecht between 1988 and 2015 led to an alleged US$283-million economic loss for Peru.
(END) JCC/SMA/DHT/MVB