Peru’s Ex-President Martín Vizcarra Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Corruption

Former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after a court found him guilty of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes long before he took national office. The ruling adds him to a growing list of former Peruvian leaders imprisoned over corruption scandals that have shaken the country for years.

According to the court’s decision, Vizcarra received the equivalent of $676,000 in illicit payments from construction companies in exchange for awarding public works contracts while he served as governor of the Moquegua region between 2011 and 2014. Prosecutors argued that the payments were part of the wider “Lava Jato” corruption network, a major bribery scheme linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, now operating as Novonor. The scandal has implicated political figures across Latin America and remains one of the region’s most significant graft investigations.

Vizcarra, who rose to the presidency in 2018 after his predecessor resigned, rejected the charges throughout the trial, calling the case a form of “political persecution.” He maintained his innocence after the verdict, stating on X that the sentence represented “revenge” rather than justice. His legal team has already filed an appeal, and the ruling also bars him from holding public office for nine years.

Despite the conviction, Vizcarra’s influence in Peruvian politics continues. His brother, Mario Vizcarra, is preparing a presidential run in 2026 under the Peru First party, where the former president serves as a key adviser. Vizcarra said the upcoming election will be the opportunity to “continue the fight.”

The former president is expected to be sent to a Lima prison where other former leaders, including Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala, and Pedro Castillo, are being held on corruption and rebellion charges. Peru has faced intense political instability, with six presidents cycling through office since 2018 due to resignations, impeachment battles, and corruption allegations that continue to erode public trust.