A Peruvian court on Wednesday sentenced former President Martín Vizcarra to 14 years in prison for accepting bribes during his tenure as regional governor.
Vizcarra, who led Peru from 2018 to 2020 and gained popularity for his anti-corruption stance, was found guilty of receiving illicit payments from construction companies while serving as governor of the Moquegua region between 2011 and 2014.
According to authorities, Vizcarra accepted approximately $640,000 in exchange for granting favorable treatment to these companies in public works contracts.
The 62-year-old former leader showed no visible reaction as the verdict was read in a Lima courtroom. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence.
The conviction places Vizcarra among several former Peruvian presidents imprisoned on corruption charges, including Pedro Castillo, Ollanta Humala, and Alejandro Toledo, all held at a special detention facility for former heads of state in Lima.
Vizcarra has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Earlier this year, he was detained for 22 days as a potential flight risk before being released on bail while the trial, which began in October 2024, proceeded.
