SAO PAULO (AFP) -
Various
Latin American officials are among the world figures mentioned in the
"Panama Papers" trove of leaked tax documents detailing suspect
international financial dealings, reporters who analyzed the material
found.
The documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack
Fonseca, which helped set up the offshore companies, were obtained from
an anonymous source by German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with
media worldwide by the International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists (ICIJ).
- BRAZIL -
At least 57 people already
linked to Brazil's huge Petrobras corruption scandal opened offshore
companies through Mossack Fonseca, local media reported.
The O
Estado de Sao Paulo reported late Sunday that many of those companies
were unknown in the anti-corruption "Operation Car Wash" surrounding
Petrobras launched in 2014.
Topping the list is a company that
reportedly belongs to Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of
Brazil's legislature and the man heading efforts to impeach President
Dilma Rousseff.
While Cunha's name does not directly appear on the
list, the Brazilian members of ICIJ looking at the leaked documents --
UOL, O Estado de Sao Paulo and Rede TV -- say that one of the companies
is directly linked to Cunha.
In a statement, Cunha vehemently denied the allegation, and challenged anyone to show his links to any offshore company.
Separately, prosecutors last year charged Cunha with taking millions of dollars in bribes and hiding the money in Switzerland.
Other Brazilians linked to the "Panama Papers" include a former cabinet minister and a former legislator.
Unknown
offshore companies belonging to firms linked to the Petrobras scandal
have also surfaced. They include construction firm Odebrecht, whose
former head, Marcelo Odebrecht, was sentenced in March to nearly 20
years in prison on corruption charges.
- ARGENTINA -
President
Mauricio Macri, his father, and brother Mariano were on the board of
directors of an offshore company registered in the Bahamas since 1998,
the daily La Nacion reported. The company was in operation until 2009,
two years into Macri's tenure as Buenos Aires mayor.
In a
statement, the government said that Macri was never a stakeholder in the
company, even though he was "circumstantially" its CEO.
Aside
from football megastar Lionel Messi, other prominent Argentines linked
to the "Panama Papers" include a former private secretary to the late
ex-president Nestor Kirchner (2003-2007) and a senior aide to Macri when
the president was Buenos Aires mayor.
- MEXICO -
Juan
Armando Hinojosa Cantu, one of Mexico's richest tycoons and head of the
Higa business group hid at least $100 million in offshore companies that
stretch to New Zealand, according to the website Aristegui Noticias.
The
money was moved via companies created by Mossack Fonseca using the name
of Hinojosa's mother and mother in law, the website said.
In late
2014 Aristegui Noticias reported that one of Hinojosa's companies
provided a lavish mansion for the wife of President Enrique Pena Nieto.
After the news broke the first lady said she repaid the builder with
earnings from her days as a telenovela star.
When the government
exonerated Pena Nieto for a possible conflict of interest in the case in
2015, Hinojosa transferred millions of dollars to offshore companies in
New Zealand, Aristegui Noticias said.
Other Mexicans linked to
the "Panama Papers" include an oil company contractor, politicians, a
popular actress, and people linked to drug cartels, the magazine Proceso
reported.
- PERU -
Two major supporters of Keiko Fujimori
-- who is leading the polls in Peru's upcoming presidential election --
have undeclared interests in offshore companies set up by Mossack
Fonseca, according to the news website Ojo Publico.
Others linked
with offshore companies set up by the Panamanian firm include Peru's
leading timber company as well as three renown local chefs, Ojo Publico
said.
© 2016 AFP
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