Alan Garcia

Alan Garcia, a Peruvian politician who was twice elected his country’s president, died by suicide Wedensday as police prepared to arrest him.

Once praised as “Latin America’s Kennedy,” Garcia killed himself inside his bedroom after being arrested by Peruvian police for taking millions of dollars in bribes from Brazilian construction giant, Odebrecht S.A.

Interior Minister Carlos Morán explained that after police entered his home, Garcia said he wanted to call his lawyer and went to his bedroom. A gunshot was heard moments later. Officers barged into the bedroom where they found Garcia, seated, with a gunshot wound to his head.

Garcia was rushed to a hospital in Lima where he was resuscitated three times. Doctors were ultimately unable to save him, however.

Garcia, 69, was accused by Peruvian authorities of receiving kickbacks from Odebrecht during the building of an electric train line for the Lima metro while he was president for a second term. He has denied the claims. Garcia served as president from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011.

Odebrecht has admitted paying $30 million in bribes in Peru since 2004.

https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-alan-garcia-arrest-20190417-story.html

https://elcomercio.pe/politica/alan-garcia-disparo-cabeza-detenido-casa-noticia-nndc-627438