BFF-53 Former Peru president hospitalized with high blood pressure

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PERU-POLITICS-HEALTH-KUCZYNSKI

Former Peru president hospitalized with high blood pressure

LIMA, April 17, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Former Peru president Pedro Pablo
Kuczynski was urgently taken to hospital on Wednesday suffering from high
blood pressure, lawmaker Gilbert Violeta said.

Violeta told RPP radio station the 80-year-old was being treated in
intensive care.

He is due to have a cardiac catheter fitted to examine his heart.

Kuczynski was arrested last week and was being held under a 10-day
preliminary detention until April 20, accused of money laundering.

He is one of four ex-presidents embroiled in various corruption scandals
linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht — alongside Ollanta Humala
(2011-16) Alan Garcia (1985-90 and 2006-11) and Alejandro Toledo (2001-06).

Garcia died in hospital on Wednesday after shooting himself in the head at
his home as police were about to arrest him over the graft investigation. The
public prosecutor accuses Kuczynski of passing laws to favor Odebrecht when
he was finance minister during Toledo’s government.

BSS/AFP/FI/ 2217 hrs