Lima, Peru – Former President Ollanta Humala of Peru has been convicted of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prison, along with his wife Nadine Heredia, after a court in Lima found them guilty of accepting illegal funds from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to finance their election campaigns in 2006 and 2011.
The couple denied any wrongdoing, but after a trial lasting more than three years, the court delivered its long-awaited verdict, with Humala attending in person and his wife hearing it via video link. Despite their denial, the court found them guilty and sentenced them each to 15 years in prison.
Humala, a former army officer who once led a military rebellion against then-President Alberto Fujimori, rose to national prominence in 2000. Throughout his political career, he faced criticism and allegations of corruption, particularly in connection to illegal funding from controversial figures like Hugo Chávez of Venezuela.
After initially aligning himself with Chávez, Humala shifted his approach for his 2011 presidential campaign, positioning himself as a more moderate candidate inspired by Brazil’s then-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite his victory over right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori, his presidency was marred by social conflicts and a loss of support from Congress.
The legal troubles for Humala and Heredia began in 2016 when Odebrecht admitted to paying massive bribes to officials and parties across Latin America. Prosecutors alleged that the couple had received millions of dollars from Odebrecht, leading to their imprisonment and subsequent release.
Now, following the recent court decision, Humala and Heredia have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for money laundering, marking a significant chapter in the ongoing saga of corruption scandals involving high-profile figures in Latin America.