Peru’s constitutional court has nullified the entire criminal case against former president Ollanta Humala, reversing a conviction that resulted in a 15-year prison sentence. Humala had been found guilty in 2025 of corruption related to illegal campaign funding. The court’s decision means that contributions received by Humala during his election campaigns do not constitute money laundering, according to his legal representation. Humala is expected to be released from Barbadillo Prison in Lima following the ruling.
The former president, who served from 2011 to 2016, was originally convicted of accepting illicit funds from Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to finance his presidential campaigns in 2006 and 2011. Humala had maintained throughout the proceedings that he and his wife were victims of political persecution. His spouse, Nadine Heredia, was also convicted of money laundering and received a 15-year sentence, though she was granted safe passage to Brazil after seeking asylum at the Brazilian embassy.
Humala was the first of four Peruvian presidents to face investigation in connection with the Odebrecht bribery scandal. Alejandro Toledo received a sentence exceeding 20 years for accepting $35 million in bribes from the company. Alan García, who served as president during two separate periods, took his own life in 2019 as he faced arrest on similar allegations, having consistently denied wrongdoing. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who led the country from 2016 to 2018, faced impeachment proceedings after revelations that Odebrecht had paid him millions during his earlier government service, though he has maintained the payments were lawful. The broader investigation remains active.
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