Peru Prosecutor: Former Odebrecht representative Barata to provide important information

16:50 | Lima, Apr. 16.

The information that will be provided by former Odebrecht representative in Peru Jorge Barata to the Inca country's Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group will be important and vital, Prosecutor Rafael Vela affirmed on Tuesday.

According to Vela, Barata must answer many questions, and that data will be immediately included in the ongoing investigation.

In this sense, the Public Ministry's special team will travel to Brazil next week with the aim of questioning him about the bribes paid by the construction company to Peruvian politicians and high-ranking officials to win public work contracts during the last 15 years.

Barata will be interrogated by the Prosecutors on April 23-26.

Likewise, Prosecutor Vela affirmed the Public Ministry is prepared to face the challenges and the Odebrecht case investigation's high complexity degree.

Concerning the measures the Public Ministry will request —within the framework of the probe on APRA members (ex-President Alan Garcia's political party)— Vela indicated Prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez will make the corresponding decision, since he is in charge of the case.

Odebrecht

In mid-February, 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.

Odebrecht will pay S/610 million (around US$182 million) —plus interests that may arise— in civil reparations to the Peruvian State over a period of 15 years as part of this agreement.

(END) CCR/DTK/MVB

Published: 4/16/2019

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Peru Prosecutor: Former Odebrecht representative Barata to provide important information

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