They arrested Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo in the United States for the Odebrecht case

Another Peruvian president fell: for the scandal of Odebrecht Alejandro Toledo was arrested Tuesday in the United States for the purpose of extradition. Peruvian justice accuses him of having received $ 20 million of the Brazilian construction company to award him the contract of the Interoceanic Route, which unites Peru with Brazil.

"This morning, the US Sheriff's Department arrested Alejandro Toledo, the former President of Peru, in response to a request for extradition from the Peruvian government," he told a spokesman for the US sheriff. US Department of Justice after the release of the Peruvian Prosecutor's Office on Twitter about the detention.

Judge Thomas S. Hixson of the Federal District Court of California North District in San Francisco is responsible for the case. preventive dentention Toledo after a first appearance pending new procedures, explained the spokeswoman.

"The detention hearing is scheduled for Friday at 10:30 am local time," he added.

Toledo, 73, led Peru between 2001 and 2006. The politician, who lives in California, was charged in his home country with the crimes of trafficking in influence, collusion and money laundering to the detriment of the statebut denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.

According to Peruvian media, payments to Toledo began in 2005, as the end of his government approached (2001-2006). This money would have been paid into the accounts of the Israeli-Peruvian businessman Josef Maiman, friend of companies in tax havens.

The Odebrecht case, which has ramifications throughout the region, was splashed in Peru by former presidents Álan García, who committed suicide at the time of his arrest; Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who cost him the job; and Ollanta Humala, who could be sentenced to 20 years in prison; in addition to the opposition leader Keiko Fujimori.

From Lima, his lawyer Heriberto Benítez told the media that the capture "does not mean that an extradition has been approved". He also denounced a "persecution" against the former president and considered that there were "violations of the right to due process".

But through a tweet, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry called the arrest "an important step for extradition and the return of Alejandro Toledo to be accountable to the justice of our country".

"The Peruvian government has hired a law firm in the United States for the extradition process in Toledo," said Justice Minister Vicente Zeballos.

"We are engaged in the fight against corruption and part of the commitment is what President Martin Vizcarra said, namely that before the end of his term, Alejandro Toledo would be subject to the examination of the Peruvian judicial authorities, "he added.