Former Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra Sentenced to 14 Years for Corruption

A Peruvian court on Wednesday handed former President Martin Vizcarra a 14-year prison sentence after finding him guilty of accepting bribes worth $676,000 from construction firms. The payments were made between 2011 and 2014, when Vizcarra served as governor of the Moquegua region, in exchange for awarding public works contracts. Despite the verdict, Vizcarra has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, calling the judgment “revenge” and asserting that he is a victim of political persecution.

Vizcarra’s legal team has filed an appeal, and the sentence also includes a nine-year ban on holding public office. His conviction marks another major milestone in Peru’s ongoing investigation into the “Lava Jato” corruption scandal, which has implicated multiple political leaders across Latin America. Prosecutors relied heavily on testimony from business executives whom Vizcarra had previously accused of irregularities, a point his lawyer argued undermined the fairness of the case.

Peru continues to face chronic political instability, having cycled through six presidents since 2018 amid repeated corruption scandals. Vizcarra is expected to be transferred to the same Lima prison housing former presidents Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Castillo. Meanwhile, his brother Mario Vizcarra has announced plans to contest the April 2026 presidential election under the “Peru First” party, vowing to continue the political fight on behalf of the family.

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