The Latest: Peruvian President Vizcarra: Ex-leader died
LIMA, Peru (AP) — The Latest on former Peruvian President Alan García (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
Peru has declared three days of mourning in honor of former President Alan García following his death by suicide amid a corruption probe.
The executive decree declares Wednesday, Thursday and Friday days of national mourning. It also authorizes García to receive presidential honors at his funeral.
García shot himself in the head Wednesday morning moments after police came to detain him in connection with the Odebrecht corruption scandal.
García had not been charged but a judge ordered his preliminary detention. He repeatedly professed his innocence.
The former chief of state twice served as president and at his peak was hailed the “president of hope.”
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11:55 a.m.
Doctors say former Peruvian President Alan García died from a “massive cerebral hemorrhage from a gunshot and cardiorespiratory arrest.”
A statement released by the José Casimiro Ulloa Hospital in the capital of Lima on Wednesday says Garcia died about three hours after arriving at the hospital for the bullet wound.
He was hospitalized for an “uncontrollable hemorrhage at the base of the skull” at 6:45 a.m. local time and entered surgery about thirty minutes later.
Garcia was pronounced dead at 10:05 a.m.
Authorities arrived at García’s home early Wednesday to detain him in connection with a corruption probe, whereupon they say he shut himself in a bedroom and the sound of gunfire was heard.
Garcia’s lawyer said he was distressed over the accusations. His client maintained his innocence.
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11:50 a.m.
Condolences over the death of former Peruvian President Alan García are beginning to pour in from around Latin America.
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderón wrote on Twitter that, “With virtues and imperfections, he realized great changes that allowed Peru’s economy to become one of the fastest growing in Latin America and in the world.”
Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro also expressed his condolences to the family of the former president.
Garcia died on Wednesday after shooting himself in the head when authorities arrived at his home to arrest him in connection with a corruption investigation.
He twice ruled Peru but more recently found himself ensnared in the Odebrecht corruption probe involving nearly every one of the country’s former living presidents.
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10:40 a.m.
Officials say former Peruvian President Alan García is dead after shooting himself in the head as police came to detain him in connection with a corruption probe.
Current President Martinez Vizcarra said the 69-year-old head of state died Wednesday after undergoing emergency surgery at the José Casimiro Ulloa Hospital in Peru’s capital.
Garcia was a populist firebrand who twice ruled Peru and more recently was under investigation related to Latin America’s largest graft probe.
Prosecutors said they believed the former president received more than $100,000 from Odebrecht, disguised as a payment to speak at a conference in Brazil.
Garcia professed his innocence and said he was being targeted politically.
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9 a.m.
Former Peruvian President Alan García underwent emergency surgery Wednesday after shooting himself in the head as police attempted to detain him amid corruption allegations in Latin America’s largest graft probe.
Health Minister Zulema Tomás said doctors provided cardiac resuscitation three times and were proceeding to operate on the 69-year-old former head of state at the José Casimiro Ulloa Hospital in Peru’s capital city of Lima.
“The situation is very critical,” Tomás said. “It’s grave.”
Local television program ‘Hablemos Claro’ reported that when police arrived to García’s residence to arrest him, the ex-president shut himself in his room and attempted to take his life.
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