Former CEO of Odebrecht confirms that he financed Keiko Fujimori’s 2011 campaign

 

Last week, Marcelo Odebrecht, the former CEO of the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, confirmed to Peruvian prosecutors in Curitiba (Brazil) that he is certain that money was given to the campaign of Keiko Fujimori and other candidates who were favorites in the general election of 2011, as reported by El Comercio. 

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Odebrecht reiterated that his company had a policy of supporting presidential candidates that had a chance to win. The purpose was that if one of them came to power, the construction company had the doors open to undertake projects in the country.

 

In his testimony, Odebrecht also revealed that the initials "AG", written in his cell phone’s schedule, refer to former president Alan García. Odebrecht also confirmed what an annotation regarding Fujimori meant, in which he had stated “increase Keiko to 500 and I’ll do the visit". Odebrecht explained that there was a delivery of money and that it probably was $500,000, but that Jorge Barata (former Odebrecht representative in Peru) had to corroborate the amount. He also indicated that, if he included the word "increase," he inferred that it was because more money had been previously delivered.

 

At another point in the interrogation, Odebrecht explained the meaning of the annotation "Kuntur agora bom for Peru / AG, etc." Odebrecht confirmed that "AG" means Alan García and that the message refers to the fact that Garcia encouraged the construction company to execute the Peruvian Southern Gas Pipeline (GSP), previously developed by Kuntur. He added that the company embarked on that project at the request of Garcia.

 

Likewise, the businessman revealed that companies that partnered with Odebrecht in Peru knew what they were doing, and that the only ones with which he had direct contact were Graña and Montero.

 

According to La República, Fujimori sent her Peruvian lawyer to the interrogation, along with Brazilian attorney, Beno Brandau, who was able to ask questions and seek clarification from Odebrecht during the interrogation.

 

This is the second time that the Peruvian Prosecutor's Office has questioned Odebrecht. In May, the businessman mentioned contributions to the party campaign of Garcia and Keiko Fujimori, but did not ask or inquire about the issue, according to El País.

 

The interrogation took place in the building of the Federal Police of Curitiba, where Marcelo Odebrecht is being held. Three Peruvian prosecutors, José Pérez, Rafael Vela and Walter Villanueva, as well as the prosecutor for Curitiba Orlando Martello.