              
              Spanish Version
            
                    search
                    close

Peru: Designation of Attorney General made official

09:59 | Lima, Jan. 10.

Peru's Public Ministry on Thursday made official the designation of Zoraida Avalos as interim Attorney General.

According to the resolution issued by the Attorney General’s Office —and published in El Peruano official gazette— Avalos will remain in the post until a new Attorney General is elected.

Likewise, the resignation of ex-Attorney General Pedro Chavarry was accepted in another document.

Removal and reinstatement

Former Attorney General Pedro Chavarry —on New Year's Eve— decided to remove Prosecutors Rafael Vela and Jose Domingo Perez from the Lava Jato Case.

Said decision brought protestors to the streets in several cities of the Inca country.

The removal of the top prosecutors investigating the case did harm the agreement and, therefore, the investigation.

On January 2, Chavarry reversed his previous decision by reinstating Lava Jato Case Prosecutors Vela and Perez in their posts.

Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group Coordinator Vela had previously affirmed there was hostility against the Odebrecht investigation prosecutors. Reports suggested the existence of friction between his team and the then-Attorney General.

In Peru, the Attorney General is not designated or confirmed by the President of the Republic. In fact, President Vizcarra had expressed his full support to the continuation of Prosecutors Vela and Perez in the case.

Odebrecht

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) RES/DTK/MVB

Published: 1/10/2019

Video más visto

Peru: Designation of Attorney General made official

Most read