Peru's former president Ollanta Humala was released from prison on Friday after his 15-year sentence for money laundering, linked to the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal, was overturned by the Constitutional Court. Humala, who served as president from 2011 to 2016, left the prison in Lima under police escort, greeted by a crowd of supporters.
Background of the Case
Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, were convicted last year for receiving illegal contributions from Brazilian construction group Odebrecht and the Venezuelan government during two presidential campaigns. Humala is the first Peruvian ex-leader to face trial in the Odebrecht scandal, which has also implicated three other former presidents: Alejandro Toledo, Martin Vizcarra, and Pedro Castillo.
Political and Legal Context
Upon his release, Humala claimed he and his wife had been victims of political and judicial persecution. Heredia sought asylum in Brazil after her conviction and remains there. The Constitutional Court's ruling nullified Humala's sentence, leading to his release. Peru's new Foreign Minister Carlos Espa, part of the right-wing government of President Keiko Fujimori, called the ruling 'fair.'
The Odebrecht scandal involves extensive bribery by the Brazilian construction company to secure infrastructure contracts across Latin America. In 2016, Odebrecht agreed to pay $3.5 billion in penalties after admitting to paying $788 million in bribes to foreign leaders and officials. In Peru alone, the company admitted to paying at least $29 million in bribes between 2005 and 2014.
