The former boss of Odebrecht in Peru said that he had also corrupted governors

Jorge Barata, former head of Odebrecht in Peru, told Peruvian prosecutors Thursday that the Brazilian company had corrupted the governors of the Andean country, as well as the presidents, in order to obtain public works contracts ..

Barata "corroborated the request for bribe of 3% of the reference value of the work" (a road) presented by the governor of Cusco (2011-2013), Jorge Acurio, said the Peruvian prosecutor Germán Juárez, the third day of testimony of the former strongman of Odebrecht of Peru at the seat of the federal prosecutor's office in Curitiba, in southern Brazil.

"He was the shortest of procedures, he corroborated data", summarizes Juarez.

In previous days, Barata confirmed that the construction company had made a financial contribution in 2006 to the election campaign of former president Alan García, who had committed suicide last week while He had to be arrested, and then paid over four million dollars to his secretary. in the presidency, Luis Nava.

The Peruvian prosecutor suspects that the final recipient of this money was Alan García, a version that the former president has always denied.

The new testimonies of Barata also dot the former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006)., who fled to the United States, where he faces a request for extradition to Peru.

In Peru, Odebrecht paid $ 131 million in tax debts, according to the Superintendency of Taxes.

The payment was made with the help of funds from the sale to a Chinese group of shares of a Peruvian subsidiary of the Brazilian company Generación Huallaga, concessionaire of the hydroelectric plant of Chaglla in the central jungle of Peru .

The bribe paid to the governor of Cusco rose to three million dollars for a $ 100 million contract intended for the construction of the so-called "route of avoidance", as Odebrecht had revealed in 2018 to the Peruvian Prosecutor's Office.

Acurio, who is being held for this case, received $ 1.5 million and the rest was distributed to other officials of the regional government, according to the Lima press.

The "Vía de Evitamiento", built in 2012, is a 10 km long peripheral road located in the Andean city of Cusco, ancient capital of the Inca Empire and high place of tourism in Peru.

This road is commonly now called "death's way" by the bad state in which it is located.

Acurio was a member of the nationalist party of the former president Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), was the subject of a money laundering investigation for receiving $ 3 million from Odebrecht for his campaign, according to Barata.

Humala, who was with his wife Nadine for nine months in pre-trial detention for the case, denies receiving the money, which according to Barata comes from the Odebrecht fund of illicit funds.

Barata also confirmed Thursday the existence of a cartel of Peruvian companies, called "construction club", which was distributing offers paying bribes.

Barata's testimony is part of a cooperation agreement with the Peruvian prosecutor's office that Lima will not sue in exchange for the betrayal of corrupt Peruvian officials.

Four former dotted chairs

In addition to the former governor of Cusco, the Peruvian prosecutor's office is investigating former governors of the regions of Ancash (north) and El Callao (neighboring port city of Lima). Like Acurio, both are detained.

Peru is the second country in the region, after Brazil, the most affected by the corruption scandal in Odebrecht.

The last four Peruvian presidents have been spotted by Barata's testimony, including Toledo, Garcia and Humala.

In addition, the former Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018) is in custody for this case and Humala is to be prosecuted this year, according to the prosecution.

Alan García (1985-1990 and 2006-2011) was shot dead at the temple eight days ago, while he was to be arrested as part of this investigation. Like other exmandatarios, he has always proclaimed innocence.

The then president, Alejandro Toledo, received $ 31 million in bribes, prosecutors told Barata Wednesday.

It is also in October preventive prison by this case that the opposition leader Keiko Fujimori, accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions.