A COURT in Peru has sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of accepting bribes years before he took office, adding to the number of high-ranking officials in the country who have been jailed for corruption.
According to the verdict, Vizcarra received bribes worth about $676,000 from construction companies in exchange for awarding them public works contracts while he was governor of Moquegua between 2011 and 2014.
Vizcarra, who has been on trial since October last year, has denied the charges, insisting he is the victim of political persecution.
Vizcarra took office in 2018 following the resignation of his predecessor, but was removed by Congress in 2020 as a corruption investigation intensified.
After the verdict was handed down, Vizcarra wrote on X.com: “This is not justice, it is revenge. But they will not finish me off.”
His legal team confirmed that they have already appealed the decision, which also bars him from holding any public office for nine years.
Meanwhile, his older brother, Mario Vizcarra, plans to run for president in the April 2026 elections through the Peru First party, for which Martin Vizcarra once served as a senior advisor.
The verdict has further fueled a broader debate in Peru about the political future and the fight against corruption among top leaders.