Guatemala’s former president Otto Perez Molina and his vice-president, Roxana Baldetti, took at least $25m in bribes from a Spanish port company, an anti-corruption commission alleges.Guatemala’s former president Otto Perez Molina started the approval process for the $225m port project immediately after his election in November 2011.
The firm, TCB, won a contract to operate a new container terminal on Guatemala’s Pacific coast for 25 years.
Mr Perez Molina was arrested in September after standing down amid anti-corruption protests.
Attorney General Thelma Aldana said Mr Perez Molina started the approval process for the $225m project immediately after his election in November 2011. There were no competing bids.
Mr Perez Molina and Ms Baldetti “formed a criminal group”, Ms Aldana added.
She made the announcement alongside the head of the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), Ivan Velasquez, who headed the investigation.
The Spanish executive in charge of the local branch of TCB (Terminal de Contenedores Barcelona), Juan Jose Suarez, has been arrested.
Note: APM Terminals has purchased TCB. See the APMT release here.
