Andina

Peru Prosecutor: Former Odebrecht representative confirms contributions to ex-Lima Mayor

13:08 | Curitiba (Brazil), Apr. 26.

Former Odebrecht representative in Peru Jorge Barata confirmed the contributions made to ex-Lima Mayor Susana Villaran (2011-2014) for her anti-recall campaign and promised to provide the supporting documentation, Peruvian Prosecutor German Juarez informed Friday.

The Prosecutor indicated Barata has corroborated his initial statements on the matter and also ratified the accounts given by other collaborators. 

In this sense, the former Odebrecht officer in Peru affirmed ex-municipal manager Jose Miguel Castro had used the alias "Budian" and received the tainted money from Odebrecht. 

According to Barata, they had decided to support the 2013 anti-recall campaign due to the fear of the possible negative impacts on the construction company's interests and the contracts previously signed with Lima Municipality.

Peruvian reporters in Curitiba also indicated the former superintendent reaffirmed Villaran had spoken by telephone with him in order to express gratitude over the US$3 million contribution to the campaign, which kept her in office.

Part of this donation, he mentioned, was delivered to Castro once the recall election had taken place, as he claimed there had been pending debts from the campaign.

Likewise, Barata underlined that —although they had helped in the anti-recall campaign— they did not take the same actions when Villaran decided to run for re-election, which she lost.

Remarks were made on the final day of interrogations held in Curitiba (Brazil).

Collaboration agreement
       
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) CCR/DTK/MVB

Published: 4/26/2019