Alejandro Toledo Convicted of Corruption: 20-Year Sentence

Alejandro Toledo Gets 20-Year Prison Term

“Please let me heal or die at home...”

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo sentenced to 20 years for Odebrecht bribery scandal.

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo's trial concluded on October 21, resulting in a 20-year, six-month prison sentence. He was found guilty of accepting bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

Toledo's conviction marks a milestone in Peru's fight against corruption, specifically the 'Lava Jato' scandal. As an economist and Stanford University doctoral graduate, Toledo served as Peru's president from 2001 to 2006.

Prosecutors revealed that Alejandro Toledo, former Peruvian president, accepted $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht (now Novonor) to secure a contract for a key road linking Peru's southern coast to western Brazil.

Toledo denied money laundering and collusion charges throughout the year-long trial, despite Odebrecht's admission in 2016 to bribing officials across Latin America for public works contracts.

Recently, Toledo requested to serve his sentence at home due to his ongoing battle with cancer.

“Please let me heal or die at home,” he said.

Alejandro Toledo, Peru's former president, was sentenced to 20 years and six months in prison for accepting $35 million in bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company. The sentence was handed down in a makeshift courtroom at a small prison in Lima, Peru, where Toledo has been held since last year.

Interestingly, Toledo isn't the only former Peruvian president behind bars. Pedro Castillo, another ex-president, is also incarcerated, facing rebellion charges for attempting to dissolve Congress in 2022. Two other former presidents, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Ollanta Humala, are under investigation in connection with the Odebrecht case.

Toledo's rise to prominence is a remarkable story. He gained international attention for shining shoes as a child and later became president. However, his fortunes took a turn when he was arrested in the US in 2019 after Peru sought his extradition.

Prosecutors built their case against Toledo using testimony from Jorge Barata, a former Odebrecht executive, and Josef Maiman, Toledo's former associate. They alleged that Toledo accepted bribes in exchange for signing a contract with Odebrecht for a road construction project, although the actual construction took place under two later administration.