Photo: GDA via AP
The former President of Peru died on Wednesday after shooting himself as police closed in to arrest him on corruption charges.
According to multiple news outlets, includingReuters, former president Alan García died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a hospital in the capital city of Lima. He was 69.
García served as president of the South American country for two nonconsecutive terms — from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2011.
After his presidency, he was investigated for money laundering and taking bribes. His alleged actions were part of a broader corruption scandal that has affected several Latin American leaders,CNN reports.
According to the BBC, García had repeatedly denied accusations that he took bribes during his second presidential term from a Brazilian construction company called Odebrecht. The company has admitted to paying nearly $30 million in bribes since 2004.
García steadfastly maintained his innocence, saying that he was the victim of political persecution. On Tuesday, the day before his suicide, hetweeted his claim of innocence. He claimed that there’s “no indication or evidence” that he committed any crime, and that the accusations were “speculation.”
“I never sold myself and it’s proven,” he tweeted.
García’s death will not end the investigation into governmental wrongdoing. According to the BBC, four former presidents are currently under investigation.
source: people.com
