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Peru: Congress began on June 23 an investigation into allegations a former adviser to President Alejandro Toledo took bribes to favor the sale of Peru's only brewer in 2002, Reuters posted on June 23. The probe was launched after Peru's most influential daily, El Comercio, reported this month that Latin America's No. 4 brewer, Bavaria, paid the adviser $2 million to support its purchase of Union de Cervecerias Backus & Johnston.

Venezuela's Empresas Polar brewery was competing with Bavaria to buy Backus, which makes the Cristal, Pilsen and Cusquena brand beers. Both Bavaria and the adviser, Cesar Almeyda, deny any wrongdoing. Almeyda at the time of the sale was a board member of Peru's stock-market regulator, CONASEV. Although the full Congress has no prosecution powers, a finding of guilt on Almeyda's part would pressure the judiciary for a trial.

It would also cause embarrassment for the unpopular Toledo, whose credibility has been shattered by a series of sleaze and influence-peddling scandals since he took office in July 2001. Almeyda is jailed and on trial on charges of trying to corrupt judges in the 1990s.

The congressional commission conducting the probe wants testimony from Toledo and CONASEV members, Javier Velasquez, head of the commission and a member of the opposition APRA party, told Reuters. "We want Toledo's version of events. The idea is to have a preliminary report ready before July 20," he said.

According to comments by witness Hugo Duran, quoted by El Comercio, Colombia-based Bavaria brewery channeled the alleged bribes to offshore bank accounts in Panama. Duran said Toledo had received part of bribe money, an allegation the government denies. Bavaria and Polar battled to take over Backus in mid-2002 and both parties accused the other of foul play. CONASEV began a probe, but in a surprise move in December 2002, Polar sold its almost 25 percent state in Backus to Bavaria in a $568 million deal. The purchase took Bavaria's stake in Backus to 49 %, and Bavaria went on in 2003 to take a controlling stake.


25 June, 2004