Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was arrested in the United States under an extradition order on Tuesday, the South American country’s public prosecutor’s office said in a post on its official Twitter account.

Toledo, who governed from 2001 to 2006, is a fugitive from Peruvian justice for allegedly receiving $20 million from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in exchange for aid to win public works. Peru formally requested his extradition from the United States a year ago.

Toledo, 73, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

“This will be the ex-President’s first appearance before U.S. judicial authorities, as part of the process aiming to return him to the country,” the Public Ministry said in a post.

By Marco Aquino and María Cervantes, Reuters, 16 July 2019

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