Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra stated during his last nationwide address of 2018 on Monday, that the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht should not be allowed to continue working in Peru as it had "contaminated" the private activity, and had admitted bribing public officials.
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When asked about what he thought on Odebrecht's activities in Peru, Vizcarra said that he does "not agree because (Odebrecht) is a company that has accepted that it has committed great acts of corruption," he said during an interview in the local news outlet RPP.
Vizcarra’s statement comes weeks after Odebrecht Peru signed a deal with Peruvian authorities to pay a fine of U$D182 million over 15 years that would allow it to continue operating in the country in return for providing evidence about officials it bribed to win infrastructure project contract. The Effective Collaboration Agreement reached the Special Team of the Public Prosecutor's Office with Odebrecht, in which the Brazilian construction company committed to delivering all the information it has about its illicit acts committed in Peru.
According to Vizcarra, Odebrecht had “disqualified itself from working with the Peruvians” by paying bribes. The Peruvian president is traveling to Brazil for the swearing-in ceremony of Jair Bolsonaro on Jan. 1. "Regardless of the agreement Odebrecht reached with the public prosecutor’s office in return for information, which I respect, it is my opinion that it should not continue working in Peru,” he said.
Odebrecht is awaiting authorization from the Vizcarra government for the sale of its hydroelectric plant in Peru to the China Three Gorges for some $1.39bn, part of which would be used to pay debts to local suppliers and guarantee the payment of civil compensation.
“(This) is a company that has contaminated the private sector. There are many respectable companies here but now there is distrust of all companies because of Odebrecht,” Vizcarra stated.