Peru ex-president Garcia dies after shooting himself

"Alan Garcia has died, long live Apra," said Omar Quesada, the general secretary of Garcia's American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (Apra) party.

Peru's current President Martin Vizcarra expressed his sympathy on his Twitter account.

"Dismayed by the death of ex-president Alan Garcia. I send my condolences to his family and loved ones," Vizcarra wrote in a tweet.

Garcia was president on two occasions, from 1985-90 and 2006-11.

Police were acting on an arrest warrant for money laundering linked to the wide-ranging corruption scandal involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

Peru's health ministry said the bullet passed straight through Garcia's head.

Garcia suffered cardiac arrest three times while undergoing emergency surgery, Health Minister Zulema Tomas said.