Alan Garcia Attempts Suicide With Authorities at the Door

Former Peruvian President Alan Garcia shot himself Wednesday morning. This happened before police could get inside and arrest him on bribery charges stemming from a corruption investigation involving him. Financial Times reports: “Since leaving office he [Garcia] has become ensnared in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, that started in Brazil but has spread throughout Latin America, implicating hundreds of politicians and business leaders.”



Alan Garcia served his country for two terms, one five year term beginning in 1985, another in 2006. He is a very popular politician who appealed to the Uruguayan Embassy last year. His request for asylum was denied, and he was forced to go home. His personal secretary told the press that the apprehension of the former President was a preventive custody move in conjunction with the probe. Moreover, they planned on keeping him for 10 days.



Garcia in Critical Condition

Garcia was banned from leaving the country in November due to the investigation. The Washington Post reports: “In November, a Peruvian court barred Garcia from leaving the country amid an investigation into allegations that he received illegal payments from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.”



They took the former President to a local hospital. He is in serious condition. Doctors are treating him for a bullet wound to the head. According to BBC, he suffered three cardiac arrests and his situation is critical. From BBC: “Health minister Zulema Tomás said Mr. García’s condition was ‘very serious and critical’, and that he had to be resuscitated after suffering three cardiac arrests. ‘Let’s pray to God to give him strength,’ the former president’s lawyer Erasmo Reyna reportedly told journalists at the hospital.”



Como en ningún documento se me menciona y ningún indicio ni evidencia me alcanza sólo les queda la ESPECULACIÓN o inventar intermediarios. Jamás me vendí y está probado. — Alan García (@AlanGarciaPeru) April 16, 2019 Archive.is

Garcia denied claims that he took bribes from the construction giant. He tweeted Tuesday that there was no evidence against him. The Peruvian Ministry told CBSNews that “At this moment, the patient has been in an operating room at said hospital since 7:10 a.m.” His condition is delicate, according to people close to him. This story is breaking, and we will have updates as they become available.

UPDATE: 12:05 p.m. EST. Former President Dead

Former President Alan Garcia is dead after attempts to save him failed. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head and three cardiac arrests.