Small blessings. Perhaps not that small.
As the Westminster political impasse continues towards summer, bringing normal business to a grinding halt, it’s a time of considerable despair with our political class. Spare a thought for Peruvians. Former president, Alan García, recently committed suicide at his home in Lima. Police had come to arrest him in connection with bribery allegations emanating from the Brazilian Odebrecht corruption scandal.
In brief, this is a huge pan-Latin American construction company which paid large bribes to the Brazilian oil giant, Petrobras. After a spate of arrests among its senior managers, the company effectively agreed to a $2.6bn fine and for its officers and directors to sing like birds. As well as bringing down former Brazilian presidents Lula and Rousseff, it has taken out politicians and business people in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru.
And this is where Alan Garía comes in. President from 2006 to 2011, he was caught up in the heart of the Odebrecht bribery scandal, as is every Peruvian president since 2001.
I don’t claim any special knowledge of this matter, Sr García might have been innocent. Certainly his loved ones have a terrible thing to deal with. However, it is no wonder that 94% of Peruvians believe the level of corruption in their country is either high or very high.
Here’s hoping that their next crop of politicians serve their people better.
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The Pothole is Pura Aventura's popular monthly email. We share what we love, what interests us and what we find challenging. And we don't Photoshop out the bits everyone else does. We like to think our considered opinions provide food for thought, and will sometimes put a smile on your face. They've even been known to make people cry. You can click here to subscribe and, naturally, unsubscribe at any time.