Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo who is facing corruption charges in Peru,arrested in USA Tuesday July 16,2019

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, who faces corruption charges in his home country, was arrested in the USA following an extradition request, US and Peruvian authorities said on Tuesday July 16,2019

The US Marshals Service arrested Toledo and he appeared before US Magistrate Judge Thomas S Hixson in Northern California, the US Justice Department said. He was ordered held in custody pending a hearing on Friday, according to department spokeswoman Nicole Navas.

Toledo's court appearance was "part of the process aimed at securing his return" to Peru, the attorney general's office in Peru said on Twitter.

The former president is wanted in his home country on accusations of taking $20m in bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company at the centre of Latin America's biggest corruption scandal. Odebrecht has admitted to paying $800m to officials throughout the region in exchange for lucrative public works contracts.

Toledo was Peru's president from 2001 to 2006