The congressional commission charged with investigating the alleged corruption network of Martin Belaunde has included three former governors in its investigation.
Two congressmen from the Belaunde commission told Cuarto Poder that its investigation would be expanded to include former Junin governor Vladimir Cerron, former Madre de Dios governor Luis Aguirre and former Cusco governor Jorge Acurio.
“Being investigated does not mean they’re guilty. It just means there are key issues that haven’t been cleared up,” said People’s Christian Party congresswoman and Belaunde commission president Marisol Perez.
The investigations in Junin focus on the construction of two bridges which clients of Belaunde obtained contracts for. In Madre de Dios, Belaunde received privileged information about the construction of a public school ahead of the bidding process. In Cusco, Belaunde’s company Antalsis received several expensive contracts to build schools which have not yet been built.
Fujimorista congressman Segundo Tapia said that Belaunde’s brother, Arturo Belaunde, used the Cusco contracts as guarantees to withdraw loans totaling $285,000 from a local bank. In addition to Arturo Belaunde, the commission will also investigate Antalsis lawyer Jorge Chang and former newspaper manager Carlos Fujikawa.
Martin Belaunde faces charges of money laundering, embezzlement, criminal conspiracy and racketeering. Belaunde was the campaign manager for President Ollanta Humala’s unsuccessful campaign in 2006 and a consultant to first lady Nadine Heredia.
Belaunde escaped to Bolivia last December after months on the run as a fugitive in Peru. He was denied political asylum and, after escaping house arrest in Bolivia, re-captured before being extradited. He is currently serving preventive imprisonment in Lima while the Belaunde commission conducts its investigation.