国际英语新闻:Peru's ex-president Toledo's extradition could take a year: FM

LIMA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian ex-president Alejandro Toledo's extradition from the United States to face trial at home could take about a year, Peruvian Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio said Wednesday.

The official said he was basing the estimation on a similar case, in which Panama's ex-president Ricardo Martinelli fled to Miami, U.S. state of Florida, to avoid facing justice.

"That's how long it took for the extradition of Martinelli to Panama," Popolizio told state news agency Andina.

Toledo, who faces corruption charges, was arrested early Tuesday in the United States.

The former head of state, who has been living in the United States since 2017, is accused of various crimes, including accepting bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in exchange for a government contract to build the Interoceanic Highway linking Peru and Brazil.

Charges have also been brought against his wife Eliane Karp, and his former head of security Avraham Dan On, and his son Shai Dan On.

Revelations that Odebrecht regularly bribed officials in Latin America to secure lucrative government contracts have tainted a string of Peruvian presidents, including Ollanta Humala, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and late Alan Garcia during his second term in office.

Humala was arrested in 2017 and is awaiting trial. Kuczynski resigned to avoid an impeachment trial in 2018.