Peru's former president Alan Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, taking his own life.

Garcia, a towering and charismatic figure who played a central role in Peruvian politics for more than three decades, died in a hospital at age 69 after shooting himself at his house in Lima when police arrived with a warrant for his arrest.

Garcia's death shocked the Andean country that had watched his transition from a fiery leftist who was elected president at age 36 to a free-market crusader who won a second term in 2006.

A pugnacious politician considered one of Latin America's best orators, Garcia had long been dogged by graft allegations that he brushed off as baseless political smears.

But prosecutors investigating Odebrecht gathered enough evidence to secure a judicial order this week to hold Garcia in pre-trial detention while they prepared charges against him, arguing that he might flee or obstruct their work.

Odebrecht, a family-owned construction conglomerate, spurred probes across Latin America after it admitted publicly in late 2016 that it had secured lucrative contracts in the region by bribing politicians. Former Odebrecht executives are now cooperating with prosecutors as informants.

The investigation in Peru had picked up speed in recent months, with a judge ordering another former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, to be jailed before trial in connection with the company last week.

The scandal had already touched the highest levels of Peru's ruling political class. Ex-President Alejandro Toledo is fighting extradition from the United States after a Peruvian judge ordered him jailed in 2017, while another former leader, Ollanta Humala, spent nine months in pre-trial detention before he was released last year on appeal.

"Others might sell out, not me," Garcia told a local broadcaster in some of his last public comments on Tuesday, repeating a phrase he used frequently as his political rivals became ensnared in the scandal in recent years. He said in the interview that he was not afraid of the investigation because "I believe in life after death."

Late last year, Garcia asked Uruguay for political asylum after he was banned from leaving the country while under investigation, calling Vizcarra a "dictator." Uruguay rejected the request.

Some of Garcia's supporters called his suicide a heroic act.

"Garcia made a decision as a free man. It was a decision of dignity and honor," Mauricio Mulder, an APRA lawmaker, said in broadcast comments.

morsi died some days ago and now alan garcia has taken his own life to evade arrest


LESSON: power is transient so manage what ever position you find yourself well cos you aint gonna be there for ever


the only difference between good and bad is that "good" is good while "bad" is bad so be careful not to do bad

Waiting for all our former presidents to do same.....



Starting from GOWON to buhari ..

He didn't escape... He just surrendered himself to arrest by police of the underworld... Those ones are more brutal.... May this also be the end of the politicians causing Nigeria the pain she's in, now.... From Gowon, to Buhari.. And all the governors past and serving.

The same fate awaits Buhari

Kingosytex:
morsi died some days ago and now alan garcia has taken his own life to evade arrest


LESSON: power is transient so manage what ever position you find yourself well cos you aint gonna be there for ever


the only difference between good and bad is that "good" is good while "bad" is bad so be careful not to do bad

Tell that to Buhari

ZombiePUNISHER:
The same fate awaits Buhari

For your mind now i fit commit suicide?
we die here...

Most of these wicked leaders are cowards. They don’t have the guts to do the right thing and hide under politics to perpetuate evil that benefits them. Once their cover is stripped they become naked like scared mice.

I hope we get to the point where all politicians are stripped of their immunity and those who should be brought to book are brought to book. Only then will Nigeria progress. We can’t keep hiding and encouraging criminal behavior. It is to our detriment.