Guatemala court blocks anti-corruption agreement

By SONIA PÉREZ D.
Associated Press

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A Guatemalan court has tossed out an agreement that made it easier to prosecute bribery involving the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The ruling announced late Friday favors a former cabinet official accused of corruption. And it adds to a series of moves reversing efforts to uproot corruption in the Central American country. The appeals court annulled an agreement under which Odebrecht had promised to give prosecutors information about bribes it had paid in Guatemala. It’s cooperated with prosecutors in several countries to regain the right to do business. It allegedly paid $17.9 million in bribes to officials, politicians and private citizens in Guatemala.