Former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski wrote a letter of complaint today to The Economist, London, in response to an article published in its print edition under the headline “Odebrecht claims its biggest scalp.” The story can be see on The Economist website as “The short unhappy presidency of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski” linked here.
The letter reads:
“Your article concerning my resignation contains a number of outrageous inaccuracies (“Odebrecht claims its biggest scalp”, March 24th). From day one of our government, the super-majority of the opposition in Congress tried to bring down my administration, claiming the scalps of five of my cabinet ministers, including the Transport minister, now Peru’s new President. Despite the opposition’s fierce efforts, our administration kept Peru growing without inflation or bloated public debt and worked successfully to improve the environment and public health while expanding major infrastructure and clean mining investment.
As for the alleged illegal link between me and Odebrecht, I refer you to the statements of my former colleagues to the prosecutor, along with the evidence I and others have presented. Odebrecht officials have said that the fees paid to a former business partner’s firm were entirely legal and not part of any bribery scheme. All make clear that the supposed link is a politically motivated construct with no credible evidence. Most chilling was the swift pace of proceedings which allowed no time for the role of due process so fundamental to the functioning of a transparent democracy.
I have welcomed a full investigation of my finances, and as a private citizen, and will continue to work to assure that Peruvian citizens enjoy health and safety along with their human and civil rights.
PEDRO PABLO KUCZYNSKI
Lima”
The letter is to be published in the London Economic Journal this Friday. PPK himself has sent the letter elsewhere, including to Nick Asheshov, former editor of the Andean Air Mail & Peruvian Times and a current contributor to the publication, and Jon Lee Anderson, staff writer on the New Yorker. Anderson was a reporter in the ‘eighties for the Peruvian Times.
Meanwhile, the besieged ex-President’s house in Lima was raided by the District Attorney’s office, as was his weekend house in Cieneguilla, in search of proof of any links with Odebrecht and its Lima manager Jorge Barata. The D.A., Hamilton Castro, is carrying out the investigation for also possible money laundering — using this angle allows Castro more time to investigate, whereas the statute of limitations on any conflicts of interest or similar wrongdoings by PPK during the Toledo administration would be due to run out within the next year or so. Unlike any of his predecessors, or any current politician under investigation, Kuczynski has opened his books and bank accounts to the D.A. office.
Caradura, of the worst kind! Betting the rest of the world won’t know enough details about little Peru and the rest of South America that he can get away with all his lies. Just as he shamelessly lied to the Peruvian electorate all the way to the house of Pizarro. In fact, lieing about his crony capitalism and dirty socialist dealings since the 60’s.