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Peru's ex-President Kuczynski and his alleged ties with Odebrecht

15:00 | Lima, Apr. 10.

Peru's Judicial Branch on Wednesday ordered the preliminary detention of ex-President and former Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for 10 days, within the framework of investigations on alleged Odebrecht payments to his companies.

These are the key moments since he was included in the probe on alleged money laundering offenses.

1. The investigation

On December 13, 2017, the Peruvian Public Ministry opened a preliminary investigation against two companies linked to Kuczynski for allegedly having received money from Odebrecht. However, he was not included in the probe, since —at that time— Kuczynski was the Inca country's President and —therefore— he enjoyed presidential immunity.

The investigation was based on projects linked to the Brazilian company's South Interoceanic Highway Project —Stretches 2 and 3— (South IIRSA) and Olmos Irrigation Project. Odebrecht allegedly made payments to Westfield Capital, First Capital, and Latin American Enterprise while he was Economy-Finance Minister (2002 and 2004) and Prime Minister (2006) of Peru.

The probe also considers the transfers made by TRG Allocational Off Shore LTD., Ternium S.A, and TRG Management LP —between 2007 and 2015— to Kuczynski's account during his two presidential campaigns (2011 and 2016).

2. Congress' Lava Jato Commission

Odebrecht informed the commission that it had paid US$4.8 million to Westfield Capital and First Capital for consulting services between 2004 and 2014.

The former President denied having received payments from Odebrecht in a letter addressed to a Congress investigative commission and then admitted to providing advisory services.

For that reason, Congress' opposition party Frente Amplio (Wide Front) in December filed a motion to impeach President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on the grounds of moral incapacity.

3. Statement to the Prosecutor's Office

While he was still in office, Kuczynski welcomed Anticorruption Prosecutor Hamilton Castro to the Government Palace to give his statement on First Capital and Latin American Enterprise Fund Managers, as well as his ties with Odebrecht.

On this occasion, he told the Prosecutor's Office that there had not been any conflict of interest in his companies' consultancy services to Odebrecht while he was a State Minister.

The Prosecutor's Office included him directly in the probe after he resigned as President on March 21, 2018.

4. Raid and travel ban

On March 24, 2018, the Prosecutor's Office raided two homes owned by the ex-President. That same day, a Peruvian judge barred the former Head of State from leaving the country.

5. Judge rejects request to travel abroad

In July, the Judicial Branch rejected Kuczynski's request to leave Peru. The former President had asked permission to travel to the United States by claiming medical purposes.

According to Judge Juan Carlos Sanchez Balbuena, there was no legal reason for backing such request, and doing so would have been counterproductive for such restrictive measure.

6. Preliminary detention

On April 10, Judicial Branch ordered the preliminary detention of the former President over alleged asset laundering crimes to the detriment of the Peruvian State.

(END) FHG/CCR/DTK/RMB/MVB

Publicado: 10/4/2019