Full Breakdown
Peru’s Constitutional Court Overturns Ex-President Ollanta Humala’s Money-Laundering Conviction
8/1/2026, 11:25:10 AM
Core Event: Court Annuls 15-Year Sentence and Humala Walks Free
On July 31, 2026, former President Ollanta Humala was released from the Barbadillo prison in Lima after the Peruvian Constitutional Court declared his 15-year money-laundering conviction null and void. The court’s ruling, dated July 15, stated that the campaign contributions at issue “did not constitute money laundering” under the law at the time they were received. A criminal court subsequently ordered his release that evening.
Background & Context: Odebrecht Scandal and Prior Convictions
Humala, who led Peru from 2011 to 2016, was convicted in April 15, 2025 by the Judiciary for receiving illegal campaign funds from Brazil’s construction conglomerate Odebrecht (now Novonor) and from Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. The case formed part of a continent-wide corruption probe that has implicated several Peruvian leaders, including former presidents Alejandro Toledo, Martin Vizcarra, Pedro Castillo, Alan García, and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Odebrecht’s own admissions link the scandal to hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes across Latin America.
Data & Statistics
- 15-year prison sentence imposed on Humala (April 15, 2025).
- $3 million alleged illegal contributions from Odebrecht to Humala’s 2011 campaign.
- $200,000 alleged contribution from Hugo Chávez to Humala’s 2006 campaign.
- $29 million bribes Odebrecht admitted paying to Peruvian officials between 2005-2014.
- $3.5 billion in penalties Odebrecht agreed to pay in 2016, after spending $788 million on bribes to foreign officials.
Official Statements & Responses
- Ollanta Humala told reporters outside the prison, “We have been victims of political and judicial persecution.”
- Wilfredo Pedraza, Humala’s lawyer, said his side received the judgment “with considerable satisfaction” and expressed pleasure at the court’s decision.
- Carlos Espa, Peru’s Foreign Minister, called the ruling “fair” and said he was “very pleased” with the decision.
- Julio Espinoza Goyena, another of Humala’s attorneys, posted on social media that the contributions “do not constitute money laundering” and urged the Criminal Chamber to order the definitive dismissal of the proceedings.
- The prosecution offered no comment following the release.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have been victims of political and judicial persecution,” — Ollanta Humala, of former president
What’s Next: Ongoing Legal Review
Humala’s lawyer indicated that the ruling will be submitted to the appellate court, which is expected to discuss the case “first thing in the morning” and to order his release by the afternoon, pending administrative procedures. The appellate court’s decision will determine whether the annulment is fully enforced and whether any further legal actions will follow.
