Ex-Peru president Alejandro 'El Cholo' Toledo arrested in US for drunkenness

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

03/18/2019, 09:09pm
Ex-Peru president Alejandro ‘El Cholo’ Toledo arrested in US for drunkenness



U.S. authorities announced Monday, March 18, 2019 that Toledo, who Peruvian authorities have asked to be extradited for his alleged ties to Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, was released after a brief detention on suspicion of public intoxication in California. | AP Photo

By Paul Elias and Christine Armario | AP

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, wanted in his home country in connection with Latin America’s biggest graft scandal, was arrested in California on suspicion of public intoxication and spent the night in jail before being released Monday, authorities said.

Toledo is accused of taking $20 million in bribes while leading Peru. He has been living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Peruvian authorities have been seeking his extradition since 2017.

. . .

The 72-year-old Toledo was arrested after officers were called to a restaurant in Menlo Park just south of San Francisco, said San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Rosemerry Blankswade. Toledo was drunk and had refused requests to leave the establishment, she said.

. . .

Toledo was Peru’s president from 2001 to 2006 and developed a reputation for partying. His presidential aircraft became known as the “party plane” after a government official was caught on camera drunkenly singing a popular tune called “Pass Me the Bottle” while aboard a flight to Europe.

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/alejandro-toledo-peru-drunk-arrest-california-el-cholo/

[sandensea]

1. That'll probably be Macri in a few years

Exiled in Miami, with a ream of extradition requests against him from Argentina, drinking heavily after none of his neo-con friends answer his phone calls and his third wife left him.

I just hope by then Argentina will have recovered from the debt crisis and outright depression he's leaving behind.

At least Toledo, as corrupt as he apparently was, had the decency to be a fairly good economic steward for Perú.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It would be better for Argentina if Macri left now and avoided the rush he's going to cause

if he stays even another day. He's caused enough destruction to resemble a whole bunch of bullies with baseball bats working over the country's economy.

So many of these tyrants end up in South Florida!

Toledo most certainly didn't run Peru into the ditch before he left. Great point.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. Wait ... he was drunk? On Saint Patrick's Day? I'm shocked.

The restaurant was just too cheap to hire bouncers on that special day. So they called the cops. Ex South American presidents just get no respect.