A Peruvian court on Wednesday sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison for taking bribes prior to his presidency, adding to the list of former national leaders convicted of corruption.
The verdict found Vizcarra received bribes totaling $676,000 from construction companies in exchange for public works contracts while serving as governor of the Moquegua region from 2011 to 2014.
Throughout the trial, which began last October, Vizcarra maintained his innocence, claiming he was targeted due to political motives.
Vizcarra assumed the presidency in 2018 following his predecessor’s resignation but was removed by Congress two years later amid graft allegations.
After the sentencing, he posted on social media: “This is not justice, it is revenge. But they will not break me.” His legal team has filed an appeal, and the ruling also prohibits him from holding public office for nine years.
His older brother, Mario Vizcarra, plans to run in the April 2026 presidential elections with the “Peru First” party, where Martin Vizcarra has served as a key adviser. “The answer lies in the voting booth. My brother, Mario Vizcarra, will continue this fight,” he said.
The conviction is a notable success for prosecutors investigating the “Lava Jato” scandal, a vast kickback scheme linked to Brazilian construction company Odebrecht (now Novonor), which has implicated political leaders across Latin America.
Vizcarra’s lawyer, Erwin Siccha, argued that the prosecution relied on witnesses from companies that the former president had previously accused of corruption.
Peru has faced political instability, cycling through six presidents since 2018 due to impeachments and resignations linked to corruption scandals.
Vizcarra is expected to be sent to a Lima prison already holding three other former presidents: Alejandro Toledo and Ollanta Humala, serving time for corruption, and Pedro Castillo, detained for rebellion charges.