Andina

U.S. Judge threatens to bring former President Toledo's trial forward for lying

Photo: EFE

Photo: EFE

00:00 | San Francisco (U.S.), Apr. 16.

United States Judge Thomas Hixson —who is in charge of the extradition proceedings against former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006)— on Thursday threatened to advance the trial and thus deny the additional time that the defense had requested if the infractions and lies by the former president continue.

In a virtual hearing, Hixson reproached Toledo for having breached the conditions of his house arrest in California —for the third time— and what —in his opinion— is even more serious: that he has lied to authorities again, which generates distrust and is highly worrying to the magistrate.

The judge directly threatened Toledo —who was present at the videoconference— and his lawyer Graham Archer with accelerating the judicial proceedings if the ex-president does not change his attitude.

According to the magistrate, the trust placed in Toledo —when he was authorized to leave prison in order to remain under house arrest last year— has started to be questioned. 

"When he lies to the agents, he makes me wonder if he is really willing to comply with the conditions and undermines my confidence," said the magistrate.

Hixson also offered details on Thursday about the latest violation of Toledo's house arrest, who had left his home with wife Eliane Karp —shortly before the deadline he is expected to return home— and went to dinner to a restaurant at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California.

The ex-president —who is also wanted by Peruvian justice returned to his home an hour later than he is allowed, and when asked by the agents of the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services —the body in charge of ensuring compliance with the conditions of house arrest— Toledo told them that he had been involved in a traffic accident.

"It was a nonsensical lie, since he knows that he is wearing a GPS tracking device and that the agents were going to find out that there was no traffic accident, but that he went to the mall," Hixson said.

The judge —who already had to scold the former president a few months ago for two other house arrest violations and subsequent falsehoods to try to cover them up— agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise LaPunzina —who represents the U.S. Government in this case and accused Toledo of having a "history of lies."

As is known, Toledo is being investigated for allegedly having received up to US$35 million from the construction company Odebrecht in exchange for favoring the Brazilian company in its business in Peru, when he was still president.

(END) EFE/MVB

Published: 4/16/2021