Crime-fighters in Switzerland and Brazil pledged to intensify cooperation to resolve the sprawling corruption case linked to state oil firm Petrobras in which around 700 million Swiss francs (US$ 701 million) remain frozen in Switzerland.
Prosecutors raided locations across the Netherlands on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the alleged use of shell companies to distribute US$ 100 million in bribes on behalf of Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht SA.
Ecuador's Vice President Maria Vicuna announced her resignation on Tuesday, one day after President Lenin Moreno relieved her of duties amid an investigation into payments she received as a legislator years ago.
The Territorial Asylum right under which Peru's former President Alan García seeks to protect himself, investigated by the Justice of his country, is framed in a convention signed in Caracas, Venezuela that provides that every State belonging to the Organization of American States (OAS) has the right to admit “the persons it deems appropriate.” Garcia's hope is based on Uruguay's record of respect for this right.
The president of Peru, Martín Vizcarra, called on Friday to fight against corruption in favor of democracy without threats, or armoring, by opposing criticism on the judicial ruling that keeps the opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in preventive detention since Wednesday.
A week after the justice annulled the pardon to her father, the former president Alberto Fujimori, after a request of the Peru's Attorney of Wash of Assets, the powerful leader of the Popular Force party, Keiko Fujimori, was arrested in Lima on Wednesday after going to a court to be questioned with her husband. The arrest occurred amid an investigation for alleged irregular handling of funds of the party's campaign for 2011 presidential elections.
Petrobras, Brazil's state oil company, has agreed to pay more than US$ 853m to the United States and Brazil, ending a long-running corruption investigation. The probe stemmed from a bribery scheme at the firm, which involved millions in payments that were concealed from investors and regulators.
In Brazil, the Real currency and benchmark Bovespa stock index strengthened slightly on Wednesday. Political uncertainty in Brazil took a toll after judicial authorities canceled the release of a closely-watched opinion poll on technical grounds.
Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht SA's will use part of a 2.6 billion reais (US$709.96 million) bank loan to repay a loan in arrears with state-controlled bank Banco do Brasil SA, according to sources quoted by Reuters. Under the terms of an agreement announced on Friday, the engineering group, at the center of a corruption scandal, will repay a 100 million reais debt to Banco do Brasil.
Mexico has banned federal institutions and state governments from doing business with Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht for the next 2-1/2 years, and fined the company around US$ 60 million, the government said.