MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru: Vizcarra released from prison

The former president was deemed to pose no flight risk

Former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra was released on Wednesday from his preventive detention as he was deemed to pose a flight risk regarding the charges against him of accepting bribes while he was governor of the Moquegua region (2011-2014).

The Third Criminal Appeals Chamber of the National Superior Court reversed a lower court's decision, which had ordered five months of preventive detention, citing a flight risk. The appeals court ruled that there was no valid reason to keep Vizcarra in prison while his case proceeded.

Vizcarra is accused of receiving approximately US$611,000 in illicit payments from companies to award contracts for two major projects. The prosecution is seeking a 15-year prison sentence.

During his appeal hearing, Vizcarra's legal team argued that he was not a flight risk, emphasizing his strong family and professional ties to Peru. He stated, “I am not going to flee, I am not going to seek asylum, I am not going to kill myself. I will always face justice.”

The former president, who was impeached in 2020, is a leading candidate in early polls for the 2026 presidential election, despite having been disenfranchised by Congress.