Extradition of Alejandro Toledo is getting closer

The California judge, Laurel Beeler, rejected the habeas corpus filed by the former president Alexander Toledo to avoid his extradition to Peru and thus avoid a possible conviction for receiving US$35 million in bribes from the Odebrecht company.

The former president assured that his repatriation was unfeasible because the requirements stipulated in the extradition agreement signed between Peru and the United States were not met.

Toledo indicated that the imputed crimes (collusion and money laundering) are not typified in the agreement and that the probable cause of the facts attributed to him has not been demonstrated.

But Beeler dismissed that defense. In his resolution, to which he agreed Peru21the magistrate indicates that there are two testimonies that detail the participation of the former head of state in a “scheme” of corruption.

The statements are from the late businessman Josef Maiman and the former representative of Odebrecht in Peru, Jorge Barata.

Both have pointed out that Toledo Manrique received bribes while being President of the Republic (2001-2006). Barata reported that this illicit money was delivered by the Brazilian firm in exchange for being awarded the South Interoceanic project.

Maiman, meanwhile, acknowledged in life that he received that money in his bank accounts, and thus mislead the authorities.

“The testimony of Maiman and Barata fully supports the crime of collusion. Barata and Maiman testified that the petitioner (Toledo), while he was president in 2004, participated in the bribery negotiations scheme,” reads the document signed by the judge.

“This evidence, along with Maiman’s testimony regarding the transfer of funds between his various bank accounts, reinforces the charge of money laundering,” concludes Beeler.

He adds that it will be the Peruvian justice authorities who must determine the guilt of the former leader of Peru Possible.

Diplomatic sources told this newspaper that with this decision the discussion about the evidence to extradite Toledo “is closed.”

Although the former president can appeal, the sources indicated, there is little left for him to be repatriated to Peru. They pointed out that, once this is resolved in the second instance, the US Department of State will have to ratify or not what was decided in court.

money on the way

Last weekend, the Executive published the agreement signed between Peru and the United States to extradite the US$680,505 that were seized from Alejandro Toledo’s accounts, and that would be part of the millionaire bribe he received from Odebrecht.

This is the procedure that the previous chancellor, Óscar Maúrtua, delayed in executing, as Peru21 revealed last Februarybut that his successor in office, César Landa, was in charge of carrying out as soon as he became Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that “only administrative issues are missing” for the transfer of money to materialize, which will be allocated to that ministry to strengthen its asset recovery functions.

Keep in mind

-Alejandro Toledo fled to the United States at the beginning of 2017. The extradition request was presented by Peru in mid-2018.

-The extradition process for Toledo, who is on parole, has been in process for four years. Peruvian justice also requires a similar measure for his wife, Eliane Karp.

-The former president lives in an apartment, located in a condominium in California, under a surveillance regime. He can only be away from home for a few hours.

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