Peru's former President Martin Vizcarra has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in a massive corruption scheme while he was the governor of Moquegua province, a region in southern Peru. The sentence, handed down by a Peruvian court on Wednesday, also includes a nine-year ban from running for office and a hefty fine.
Vizcarra, who served as president from 2018 to 2020, was found guilty of accepting bribes worth over $600,000 in exchange for awarding contracts for large-scale projects in Moquegua. He has consistently maintained his innocence, accusing the prosecution of being politically motivated and part of a "mafia pact" involving powerful individuals.
The sentence is the latest blow to Vizcarra's already troubled reputation, which was marred by corruption allegations during his time as governor. In 2020, he was impeached and deposed from office over similar accusations, after facing opposition from the rival Peru Libre party.
Vizcarra's conviction joins a string of high-profile corruption cases that have plagued Peru in recent years, with three other ex-presidents currently serving prison sentences. The trend has led experts to warn about endemic instability and corruption within the country's political system.
The former president is expected to start serving his sentence immediately, but he has already announced plans to appeal the verdict. In a statement on social media, Vizcarra expressed outrage at what he saw as "revenge" rather than justice, and vowed to continue the fight despite being barred from public office and expelled from his own party.
Vizcarra's conviction has sparked widespread debate in Peru about corruption and the rule of law. His brother Mario, a close adviser to Vizcarra and a prominent figure within the Peru First party, is widely expected to run for president in the 2026 election, with many viewing him as a potential successor to his brother's legacy.
Vizcarra, who served as president from 2018 to 2020, was found guilty of accepting bribes worth over $600,000 in exchange for awarding contracts for large-scale projects in Moquegua. He has consistently maintained his innocence, accusing the prosecution of being politically motivated and part of a "mafia pact" involving powerful individuals.
The sentence is the latest blow to Vizcarra's already troubled reputation, which was marred by corruption allegations during his time as governor. In 2020, he was impeached and deposed from office over similar accusations, after facing opposition from the rival Peru Libre party.
Vizcarra's conviction joins a string of high-profile corruption cases that have plagued Peru in recent years, with three other ex-presidents currently serving prison sentences. The trend has led experts to warn about endemic instability and corruption within the country's political system.
The former president is expected to start serving his sentence immediately, but he has already announced plans to appeal the verdict. In a statement on social media, Vizcarra expressed outrage at what he saw as "revenge" rather than justice, and vowed to continue the fight despite being barred from public office and expelled from his own party.
Vizcarra's conviction has sparked widespread debate in Peru about corruption and the rule of law. His brother Mario, a close adviser to Vizcarra and a prominent figure within the Peru First party, is widely expected to run for president in the 2026 election, with many viewing him as a potential successor to his brother's legacy.
martin vizcarra was always seen as this super inspiring leader who worked so hard for peru and now he gets 14 years?? that's crazy! I'm literally still trying to wrap my head around it 
the fact that he's been saying it's all politics just makes me think there are more corruption cases hiding behind closed doors. i feel bad for his family tho, especially his brother mario - this is like a super heavy burden for them to deal with 
can't wait to see how this whole thing unfolds 
, i was actually rooting for vizcarra when he was president, thought he was gonna shake things up in peru... but it looks like he got caught up in the same corruption web that alot of peru's politicians get tangled in 
. 14 years is a pretty harsh sentence tho... i mean, i dont think anyone's above the law, but its still sad to see someone who was once seen as a breath of fresh air for peru end up on the wrong side of justice 
. and now his bro mario might end up being the next president? that just feels like more of the same... 
its crazy to think that his bro Mario might be next up for presidency tho 
what would happen if he gets in ? will it just be more of the same corruption and instability 
or can we actually expect some real change now 
. now he's facin the music and its all good rite?? 
gotta say tho, this just shows us that corruption runs deep in peru & they cant even catch themselves 
. hope his brother mario wud learn from martin's mistakes tho 
, it's crazy how corruption can be so deep-rooted in a country's system! 14 years in prison seems like a long time, but I guess someone's gotta set an example... Interesting 
how Vizcarra's brother Mario is already being groomed to take over, that's some next-level politics going on 
. I guess you could say that at least now Peru has some serious momentum towards cleaning up its act... 14 years in prison might seem harsh, but you have to consider all the damage that was done under his watch 
. It's also kinda cool (imo) that Mario's already setting himself up for a potential presidency - it'll be interesting to see how he navigates all this corruption baggage 
?
. what's the point of having an "independent" judiciary if they're just gonna go after politicians when they're convenient? 
. And now with Mario potentially running for president, this just feels like more politics as usual 
. Can we ever truly trust our politicians to do what's right?
hope he gets some quality legal team to help him with that appeal tho
. And who knows, maybe his brother Mario will bring some fresh air to politics? The fact that experts are warning about instability doesn't seem too surprising tho... Peru has been dealing with corruption for ages 
.
and I was thinking about trying out this new coffee shop near my place 
️... have you guys tried it? Anyway, what's up with Peru's corruption scandal again? Like, how does a whole country get like that? 
. Oh wait, I need to remember to buy coffee beans for my new brewer 
The fact that his brother might run for president next year is really disturbing, it's like they're already planning their comeback. I wish there was more transparency and accountability in the system so these kinds of things can't happen again. 
. Anyway, can't wait to see how Mario Vizcarra's presidential run goes in 2026 
.