2008 Peru oil scandal
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Peru oil scandal started after a Peru
vian TV station broadcast an audio tape of an alleged conversation between a government official and a lobbyist agreeing to help a firm win contracts. The speakers were allegedly Alberto Quimper, an executive in Petroperú
, the state company in charge of promoting foreign investment in the petroleum
sector, and a prominent lobbyist Rómulo León
discussing payments to help the Norwegian company Discover Petroleum win contracts. This was followed by street protests led by workers, teachers, builders and doctors for the resignation of the Council of Ministers
. The scandal led to the resignation of Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo
and the appointment of a new cabinet headed by Yehude Simon
.
, a lobbyist and prominent member of the APRA, the party that was currently in office. In the tape, they discussed secretive $10,000 monthly payments to Quimper, León and Ernesto Arias-Schreiber, the legal representative of the company Discover in Peru, in exchange for steering lucrative petroleum
contracts to explore offshore oil blocks and gas fields in Peru Discover's way.
submitted resignation of his cabinet to president Alan García. A new cabinet led by 61 year old Yehude Simon
was sworn in on October 14, 2008. He had been the president of the Lambayeque Region
and is from outside the ruling party.
party and later went on to found a new party, Patria Libre. He was accused in 1992 during President Alberto Fujimori
's authoritarian government of justifying terrorism
and was convicted to 20 years in prison. Amnesty International
and local human rights groups worked in his defense and he was released after 8 ½ years with a pardon granted by transitional President Valentín Paniagua
. He was also offered a public apology by a later President Alejandro Toledo
. In 2002 and 2006, Simon was elected president of Peru's northern Lambayeque Region
.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian TV station broadcast an audio tape of an alleged conversation between a government official and a lobbyist agreeing to help a firm win contracts. The speakers were allegedly Alberto Quimper, an executive in Petroperú
Petroperu
Petróleos del Perú S.A. is a Peruvian state-owned petroleum company. Its activities include transport, refinery and commercialization of fuel and other oil derivatives...
, the state company in charge of promoting foreign investment in the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
sector, and a prominent lobbyist Rómulo León
Rómulo León
Rómulo León Alegría is a politician from Peru. He is a member of the ruling Apra party. He has been imprisoned for his involvement in requesting bribes from foreign oil companies seeking to explore and drill in the Peruvian amazon rainforest. The company involved in this deal was Discover Petroleum...
discussing payments to help the Norwegian company Discover Petroleum win contracts. This was followed by street protests led by workers, teachers, builders and doctors for the resignation of the Council of Ministers
Council of Ministers of Peru
The Cabinet of Peru is made up of all the Ministers of State. This council is presided by the President of the Council of Ministers, a position likened to that of a prime minister. That position is directly appointed by the President of the Republic...
. The scandal led to the resignation of Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo
Jorge Del Castillo
Jorge Alfonso Alejandro Del Castillo Gálvez is a Peruvian lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Peru. He is also a member and current Secretary-General of the Peruvian Aprista Party...
and the appointment of a new cabinet headed by Yehude Simon
Yehude Simon
Yehude Simon Munaro is a Peruvian politician and former Prime Minister of Peru.-Early life and family:He is of Jewish and Italian descent and was born in Lima. When he was a child his family moved to Chiclayo to further a business selling shoes...
.
Tape
On October 5, 2008, TV news magazine Cuarto Poder broadcasted alleged audio recordings of Alberto Quimper, vice-president of Petroperú, and Rómulo LeónRómulo León
Rómulo León Alegría is a politician from Peru. He is a member of the ruling Apra party. He has been imprisoned for his involvement in requesting bribes from foreign oil companies seeking to explore and drill in the Peruvian amazon rainforest. The company involved in this deal was Discover Petroleum...
, a lobbyist and prominent member of the APRA, the party that was currently in office. In the tape, they discussed secretive $10,000 monthly payments to Quimper, León and Ernesto Arias-Schreiber, the legal representative of the company Discover in Peru, in exchange for steering lucrative petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
contracts to explore offshore oil blocks and gas fields in Peru Discover's way.
Consequences
Thousands of workers, including teachers, builders and doctors protested in Peru calling for the resignation of the government. On October 10, 2008, Prime Minister Jorge del CastilloJorge Del Castillo
Jorge Alfonso Alejandro Del Castillo Gálvez is a Peruvian lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Peru. He is also a member and current Secretary-General of the Peruvian Aprista Party...
submitted resignation of his cabinet to president Alan García. A new cabinet led by 61 year old Yehude Simon
Yehude Simon
Yehude Simon Munaro is a Peruvian politician and former Prime Minister of Peru.-Early life and family:He is of Jewish and Italian descent and was born in Lima. When he was a child his family moved to Chiclayo to further a business selling shoes...
was sworn in on October 14, 2008. He had been the president of the Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
and is from outside the ruling party.
Yehude Simon
Simon was a congressman in the 1980s for the now defunct Izquierda UnidaUnited Left (Peru)
United Left was an alliance of leftist political parties in Peru founded in 1980 by Popular Democratic Unity , Revolutionary Left Union , Peruvian Communist Party , Revolutionary Socialist Party , Revolutionary Communist Party and FOCEP.In 1984 UDP and a part of PCR converted itself into the...
party and later went on to found a new party, Patria Libre. He was accused in 1992 during President Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori served as President of Peru from 28 July 1990 to 17 November 2000. A controversial figure, Fujimori has been credited with the creation of Fujimorism, uprooting terrorism in Peru and restoring its macroeconomic stability, though his methods have drawn charges of...
's authoritarian government of justifying terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and was convicted to 20 years in prison. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and local human rights groups worked in his defense and he was released after 8 ½ years with a pardon granted by transitional President Valentín Paniagua
Valentín Paniagua
Valentín Paniagua Corazao was a Peruvian politician and former Interim President of Peru. Paniagua was elected by the Peruvian Congress to serve as interim president of the country after Alberto Fujimori was ousted from office by Congress in November 2000.As Interim President, his main task was to...
. He was also offered a public apology by a later President Alejandro Toledo
Alejandro Toledo
Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique is a politician who was President of Peru from 2001 to 2006. He was elected in April 2001, defeating former President Alan García...
. In 2002 and 2006, Simon was elected president of Peru's northern Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque Region
Lambayeque is a region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the Lambayeque.-Etymology:...
.