Ex-President of Peru Fatally Shoots Himself as Police Move in to Arrest Him on Corruption Charges

Steve Helling
Updated
Former Peru President Fatally Shoots Himself as Police Arrest Him

The former President of Peru died on Wednesday after shooting himself as police closed in to arrest him on corruption charges.

According to multiple news outlets, including Reuters, former president Alan García died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a hospital in the capital city of Lima. He was 69.

Police arrived at his home at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday to execute an arrest warrant. When they arrived, García asked them to call his attorney. He then went to his bedroom and shot himself, Carlos Morán told a CNN affiliate. Authorities forced their way into the bedroom, where they found García with a single gunshot wound to the head.

Authorities rushed García to a hospital. According to Peru’s health minister, he was resuscitated three times, but ultimately died from his injuries.

García served as president of the South American country for two nonconsecutive terms — from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2011.

After his presidency, he was investigated for money laundering and taking bribes. His alleged actions were part of a broader corruption scandal that has affected several Latin American leaders, CNN reports.

“I am devastated by the death of former President Alan García,. I send my condolences to his family and loved ones,” Peru’s current President, Martín Vizcarra, tweeted Wednesday.

According to the BBC, García had repeatedly denied accusations that he took bribes during his second presidential term from a Brazilian construction company called Odebrecht. The company has admitted to paying nearly $30 million in bribes since 2004.

García steadfastly maintained his innocence, saying that he was the victim of political persecution. On Tuesday, the day before his suicide, he tweeted his claim of innocence. He claimed that there’s “no indication or evidence” that he committed any crime, and that the accusations were “speculation.”

“I never sold myself and it’s proven,” he tweeted.

García’s death will not end the investigation into governmental wrongdoing. According to the BBC, four former presidents are currently under investigation.