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Peru: Ex-Lima Mayor Castañeda confirms OAS made contributions to 2014 campaign

11:42 | Lima, Aug. 19.

Former Lima Mayor Luis Castañeda admitted to Prosecutor Michael Chavez —a Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group member— that Brazilian OAS company had made contributions to his mayoral electoral campaign in 2014.

"Yes, there was an offer, but I cannot provide more details, as I do not get very involved in contribution matters," Castañeda answered, according to documents Punto Final TV Program gained access to. 

In the interrogation —on August 5— the ex-mayor affirmed OAS construction company's ex-Chairman Leo Pinheiro had made him an offer during a meeting at the apartment of Martin Bustamante —his aide and Solidaridad Nacional political party officer. 

"Pinheiro offered to help me in the 2014 mayoral campaign. (…) He said he wanted to help me in the campaign, and I said: 'Okay, that is fine, thank you.' I did not say anything else," Castañeda revealed. 

Likewise, he confirmed Bustamante and Giselle Zegarra were present at the meeting. Zegarra was Lima Municipality's private investment promotion manager during Castañeda's first two tenures in office. 

Concerning the person who received the contributions, he pointed out "I do not know if it was clearly defined (…), but I think it was Martin (Bustamante)." 

Furthermore, Castañeda was asked if he had received contributions from Odebrecht, to which he answered he had not. 

However, ex-Odebrecht Superintendent in Peru Jorge Barata —on August 6— affirmed Odebrecht had sent money to Castañeda's campaign. 

In this sense, Barata said the contributions had been made through "Bigote" (Mustache), which was Bustamante's alias. 

The Public Ministry currently investigates how much money the former mayor had received in order to finance his electoral campaign. 


According to the Prosecutor's Office, Castañeda allegedly favored OAS in the Linea Amarilla (Yellow Line) and Rio Verde Projects.

(END) RMCH/DTK/MVB

Published: 8/19/2019