Andina

Former Odebrecht employee confirms bribe payments for Lima Metro

17:59 | Curitiba (Brazil), Feb. 21.

Former Odebrecht Executive Luiz Eduardo da Rocha Soares on Thursday confirmed to Peru's Lava Jato case prosecutors that ex-Peruvian officials had been paid bribes through Andorra's banking system in order to win the bidding for the Lima Metro Project.

Da Rocha Soares was part of Odebrecht's Division of Structured Operations (Box Two) which served as the company's bribery department.

According to Canal N news channel, the former executive corroborated the deposits made to Edwin Luyo and Mariella Huerta Minaya, ex-members of Lima Metro's awarding committee. 

He also affirmed money was delivered to Alpha Consult representative Jorge Peñaranda Castañeda and arbitrator Horacio Canepa. 

Canepa is banned from leaving Peru for 18 months for allegedly having benefited the Brazilian firm with arbitral awards.

Concerning Gabriel Prado —an ex-official during former Lima Mayor Susana Villaran's term in office— a private account was opened in Andorra to favor him, but money was not deposited into it.

It should be noted Luiz Eduardo da Rocha Soares managed the information on illegal payments made through Odebrecht's computing systems.

Collaboration agreement

Last Friday, Peru's Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group signed the long-awaited collaboration agreement with Odebrecht representatives and former employees in Brazil.

This deal is intended to procure evidence and testimonies for the investigation of corruption cases in the Andean nation.
       
As is known, the Brazilian construction giant admitted to having paid millions in bribes to government officials in Peru, in order to secure public-works contracts.

As a result, Odebrecht benefited from over US$143 million between 2005 and 2014 in Peru, according to the U.S. Justice Department. 

In addition, four ex-Presidents have been linked to the Brazilian company such as: Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), Alan Garcia (2006-2011), Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018)

Former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori —currently under preventive detention— also allegedly received money from Odebrecht for her 2011 campaign.

(END) RMCH/DTK/MVB

Published: 2/21/2019