Alejandro Toledo: Peru ex-president to be extradited from US

Alejandro Toledo has been living in the US state of California

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has surrendered himself to US authorities, in order to be extradited to Lima.

Mr Toledo, 77, is accused of taking $20m (£15m) in bribes from a Brazilian construction company while in office between 2001 and 2006.

He fled Peru to live in the US several years ago but was arrested by US authorities on Peru's request.

He has denied soliciting or receiving bribes.

Peruvian authorities alleged that Mr Toledo received millions of dollars from the Brazilian construction company, Odebrecht, in return for awarding public works contracts.

They provided the US with an extradition request in May 2018. Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison sentence.

Mr Toledo was first arrested in California in 2019. He was then granted bail in 2020 and ordered to live under house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor.

This week, the former president's lawyers unsuccessfully filed for an emergency stay to block his extradition. They argued his life was at risk if he returned to Peru.

Mr Toledo said the allegations against him were politically motivated. However a US District Court Judge in the Northern District of California previously found there was enough evidence to "establish probable cause to believe that Toledo committed collusion and money laundering".

On Friday, the former president was seen handing himself in to authorities in California and carrying a few belongings.

His extradition is expected to take only a few days.