Former Peruvian President Hit With 15-Year Prison Sentence

Former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, have been handed a 15-year prison sentence amid a high-profile corruption scandal.

Key Takeaways

Humala and Heredia have been convicted of money laundering linked to Odebrecht and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, and they have been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The 15-year prison sentence is part of the larger Odebrecht scandal engulfing Latin American leaders.
Odebrecht paid substantial bribes to Peruvian officials between 2005 and 2016.
Multiple Peruvian ex-presidents, including Humala, faced legal issues from Odebrecht ties.
Humala plans to appeal the court’s decision.
Despite her sentence, Heredia has been granted asylum in Brazil.

The Odebrecht Scandal’s Reach into Peru

Ollanta Humala and Nadine Heredia, once at the helm of Peru, are now joining the ranks of former leaders implicated in the Odebrecht scandal. Humala and Heredia were sentenced to prison for accepting illicit campaign funds from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction giant, and Venezuela’s late president, Hugo Chavez. According to a Peruvian court, the funds were instrumental in supporting Humala’s political aspirations during his 2006 and 2011 campaigns.

The Odebrecht scandal, a vast web of bribery and corruption, has ensnared many Latin American leaders. Notably, Odebrecht confessed to dispensing over $29 million in bribes to influence Peruvian political agendas from 2005 to 2016. During these years, Peru saw a slew of its presidents dragged into legal battles, with Humala emerging as the first of four directly linked to Odebrecht wrongdoings.

Peruvian court sentences former President Ollanta Humala and his wife Nadine Heredia to 15 years in prison for money laundering, in a case linked to the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal. pic.twitter.com/IqAM1iNsVA

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Campaign Finances Under Scrutiny

The financing of Humala’s presidential bids through illegal funding streams underscores the deep-rooted influences of the Odebrecht corruption scandal. During investigations, prosecutors revealed that Humala and Heredia misused these funds for both political and personal gains. This misuse extended to accusations of concealing properties acquired through ill-gotten money, heightening their legal troubles.

Humala maintains his innocence and will appeal, with his attorney referring to the sentence as “excessive.” Meanwhile, Heredia’s brother faces a similar fate with a 12-year term, adding to the family’s legal plight. Despite her sentence, Heredia has sought and been granted asylum in Brazil.

Political Careers and Downfalls

Humala, a former military officer who gained prominence in 2000 and eventually captured the presidency in 2011, has faced significant legal challenges post-presidency. Other former leaders who have been linked to the Odebrecht scandal include Alejandro Toledo, Pedro Castillo, Alan García, and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Notably, García, faced with arrest in relation to the accusations against him, took his own life back in 2019. Toledo and Castillo are currently both in prison, while Kuczynski is still under investigation.