REUTERS/Mariana Bazo
Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo will not be allowed to seek refuge in Israel, where he had reportedly hoped to flee while avoiding corruption charges, Israeli officials say. Toledo is accused of accepting $20 million in bribes from a Brazilian construction company, and faces up to 18 months in jail while federal prosecutors ready their case against him. Toledo, whose wife has Israeli citizenship, reportedly planned to fly from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, landing on Sunday evening. However, Israeli officials told Haaretz that Toledo did not board the San Francisco flight. If he attempts to board future flights, he will be rebuffed, Israeli officials said. "Mr. Alejandro Toledo will be allowed into Israel only after his affairs in Peru are settled," Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told Haaretz. Interpol has reportedly issued an alert asking member nations to help locate Toledo.