Democratic United States Senator Robert Menendez was found guilty by a jury on Monday in the corruption trial that began two months ago, federal prosecutors in New York announced.
At the age of 70, the influential actor in North American politics who belonged to the Portuguese-American 'caucus' in Congress was found guilty, among other things, of conspiracy to commit acts of corruption, conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, as well as as obstruction of justice, the prosecution indicated.
"Bob" Menendez was tried for using his influence to benefit Egyptian and Qatari business leaders.
The two business leaders were also found guilty.
The senator's wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, to whom the senator's lawyers tried to blame, is also accused, but she must be tried separately because she must be treated for breast cancer.
Menendez is an influential senator, former chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, from which he resigned over this case, "a classic case of large-scale corruption", according to the indictment.
Between 2018 and 2023, "he put his power up for sale", added, during his indictment, one of Manhattan's federal prosecutors, Paul Monteleoni.
The prosecutor had described in detail the investigators' conclusions during a search of the couple's home in June 2022: $480,000 in cash in envelopes hidden in closets, clothes or safes, in addition to $70,000 found in a safe belonging to Nadine Menendez, or 13 gold bars.
Senate leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, today called for Menendez to resign.
"In light of this guilty verdict, Senator Menendez must now do what is right for his constituents, the Senate and our country, and resign," Schumer said in a statement.
Menendez ends his term in January 2025 and intended to run again as an independent after the Democratic Party chose congressman Andy Kim as their candidate to replace him.
Kim, moreover, also called for Menendez's resignation: "This is a sad and dark day for New Jersey and our country. Our public servants must work for the people, and today we saw the people judge Senator Menendez as guilty and unable to serve."
If he decided to resign, it would be up to the governor of New Jersey, Democrat Phil Murphy, to choose his replacement until the November elections.
Menendez was a vocal opponent of President Barack Obama's policy of rapprochement with Cuba (2009-2017) and also of the nuclear pact with Iran. He also opposed the current government of Joe Biden in resuming this strategy with the two countries.
