Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison, adding him to the list of Latin American leaders implicated in the Odebrecht corruption scandal. Toledo was convicted for accepting $35 million in bribes from the Brazilian construction giant in return for awarding a freeway construction contract, resulting in a 20-year, six-month prison sentence.
At a recent hearing, Toledo, who is 78 and reportedly dealing with health issues related to cancer, expressed a desire to be treated at a private clinic, saying, “I ask you please to let me get better or die at home.”
Toledo, who served as president from 2001 to 2006, received one of the heaviest sentences linked to Odebrecht’s widespread bribery scheme aimed at securing political favors across Latin America. Despite a yearlong trial in which he repeatedly denied charges of money laundering and collusion, Toledo was ultimately extradited from the United States to Peru in 2022 following his 2019 arrest.
The Odebrecht scandal has led to the prosecution of officials in Peru, Panama, and Ecuador, with additional investigations in countries such as Guatemala and Mexico. Odebrecht, now rebranded as Novonor, has been at the center of corruption probes across the region.
In 2019, 14 prominent Peruvian lawyers were detained while under investigation for allegedly giving Odebrecht favorable treatment in public works contracts.
Toledo will serve his sentence in a specialized prison near Lima built to house former presidents. He may soon be joined by other former Peruvian leaders, as Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Ollanta Humala face similar investigations, and Pedro Castillo is currently detained on charges of “rebellion” following his failed attempt to dissolve Congress in 2022.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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