In a major development from Peru, former President Ollanta Humala and his wife Nadine Heredia have been sentenced to 15 years in prison each for money laundering. The verdict was handed down on April 15, 2025, after a three-year trial linked to the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal that has rocked Latin America.

Humala and Heredia were found guilty of accepting around $3 million in illegal campaign funds, primarily from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht and the Venezuelan government. These funds were allegedly funneled into Humala's 2006 and 2011 presidential campaigns.

The sentencing makes Humala the third former Peruvian president to be jailed for corruption tied to Odebrecht, following Alejandro Toledo and Alberto Fujimori. Peru’s judiciary continues to grapple with the wide-reaching fallout from the “Lava Jato” (Car Wash) operation that exposed systemic corruption across the region.

Following the court’s decision, Humala—who was present at the hearing—was taken into immediate custody and transferred to a special police detention facility where other ex-presidents are also being held.

In a dramatic twist, Nadine Heredia sought diplomatic asylum at the Brazilian Embassy in Lima, invoking the 1954 Convention on Diplomatic Asylum. Brazil has officially granted her asylum and agreed to provide safe passage for her and one of their sons.

This case is yet another reminder of the deep entanglement between politics and corruption in Latin America. As more high-profile figures are brought to justice, the region watches closely to see what impact these legal actions will have on future leadership and governance.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.