Santo Domingo.- Dominican industrialist Fortunato Canaán, whose name figures in Peru’s “Petrogate” corruption scandal, used the political links of Peggy Cabral, the widow of the late political leader Jose Francisco Peña Gomez, to access that country’s power circles including cabinet chief Jorge del Castillo, and even meet with president Alan Garcia.

It was reported that Garcia’s entire cabinet resigned on Thursday.

Canaán, whose voice is heard in one of the recordings which unleashed the scandal, took advantage of Cabral’s visit to Lima last November, according to newspaper La Republica’s Wednesday edition.

It said Canaán was part of the entourage of the then opposition PRD party presidential candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado, and sought “to make contact with Jorge del Castillo and senior leaders of the party in government.”

The journalist Maria Elena Hidalgo, of La Republica, reports that Canaán, representing the Norwegian company Discover Petroleum, used his position as member of the Dominican delegation to make his first contacts with senior members of the government of Garcia, a close friend of Cabral and of her late husband.

During that first visit Canaán tried to present his credentials as an industrialist before Garcia, but without success.

Peru’s anti-corruption authorities link Canaán to the scandal of corruption in the concession of five oil fields granted to Discover Petróleum in September.

Canaán has denied the allegation and said he’s wiling to travel to Peru to clarify his situation, and that he no longer represents Discover Petroleum since the end of February, according to the Peru media.

The scandal exploded Sunday when a television channel disclosed four recordings on the alleged illicit maneuvers that led to the Norwegian company’s acquisition of the five fields in September, in a partnership formed with the State via Petroperú.

In the recordings, Alberto Quimper, one of PerúPetro’s directors, and the now fugitive Rómulo Leon, an ex minister of Garcia, takk about kickbacks to get the petroliferous lots for Discover Petroleum.

The scandal reached del Castillo in the last few days when new audio tapes were heard in which Leon talks with Canaán, representing Discover Petoleum, and in which the cabinet chief is mentioned as somebody willing to support the company’s interests.

The case has also brought about the resignation of Energy and Mines minister Juan Valdivia, of Petroperú president Cesar Gutiérrez, and the dismissal and arrest of Quimper.

On Tuesday the Norwegian company denied having paid bribes and said it worked with Quimper, whom it said subcontracted through a Lima law firm, because he was  known as “Perú’s best tax lawyer."

Discover Petroleum also confirmed having paid Leon 63,750 dollars from May to date for consulting services.

SOURCE: clavedigital.com.do