Andina

Peru President: "I have never received any donation from Barata"

LIMA- PERÚ- 09 ENERO. Presidente Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, juramenta a nuevos ministros.Foto: ANDINA/Dante Zegarra

14:43 | Lima, Feb. 28.

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Wednesday affirmed he had never received donations nor any kind of funding for his 2011 presidential campaign from former Odebrecht representative in Peru Jorge Barata.

"I, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, have never received any donation from Mr. Barata. I have not received any funding for my presidential campaigns from that source," the statesman posted on Twitter.

The Head of State said that —in 2011 when he ran for President of Peru for the first time— he did not have a political party, but relied on an electoral alliance.

Likewise, Mr. Kuczynski pointed out he did not have control of the alliance's treasury as he was a presidential candidate.

In Sao Paulo, Barata testifies before Peruvian prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez within the framework of the investigations for contributions to Keiko Fujimori's former presidential campaign. 

As is known, Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht admitted to having paid millions in bribes to government officials in Peru, in order to secure infrastructure projects.

Barata is a key piece in the investigation into Odebrecht's bribes.

It must be noted it was not ruled out he could also be questioned for donations to other electoral campaigns.

(END) FHG/CCR/JAA/MVB

Published: 2/28/2018