The Judgment of the Judiciary of Peru against Nadine Heredia It marked a milestone in the anti -corruption processes of Latin America. The former president’s wife Ollanta Humala received a 15 -year prison sentence for its implication in the Odebrecht case. The resolution, issued by the Second National Collegiate Criminal Chamber, It was based on evidence that confirmed the irregular income of foreign money to the presidential campaigns of 2006 and 2011, under the facade of voluntary contributions.
However, the former first lady surprised public opinion by not presenting himself to reading the ruling and requesting asylum at the Brazilian embassy, managing to abandon the country without authorization judicial and generating a complex situation for Peruvian justice.
You can see: Nadine Heredia arrives in Brazil: first images of the former first lady in São Paulo
Why did the Judiciary condemned Nadine Heredia to 15 years in prison?
He Case against Nadine Heredia It goes back to the millionaire contributions that the Nationalist Party received during the presidential campaigns in which her husband, Ollanta Humala, was elected. According to investigations, the funds mainly came from the Venezuelan government of Hugo Chávez and of the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, with the aim of guaranteeing influence and contractual benefits once installed in power.
The court considered that the former first lady was not only aware of the illicit origin of money, but led a network to bleach the funds through third parties, fictitious companies and undercover financial operations. Through a complex structure, the contributions camouflaged themselves as lawful income. The Prosecutor’s Office showed that these resources helped finance proselytizing activities, paying advisors, disseminating political propaganda and sustaining the electoral campaign. The sentence also included Heredia’s disqualification to hold public office for a period similar to the conviction.
How did Nadine Heredia escape from Peru?
When reading the sentence, Nadine Heredia was not in court as her husband Ollanta Humalawho was surrounded by the police and taken to prison. His mother, Antonia Alarcón, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison, told the press at his home that her daughter was admitted to a clinic; However, he hastened to get a asylum at the Brazilian embassy.
Heredia left the country in an irregular and fast operation that exposed possible failures in the judicial control and surveillance exercise. As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the request of the former First Lady, framed in the terms of the Diplomatic Asylum Convention of 1954, it was accepted by the administration of Brazilian president Lula da Silva.
Likewise, the Foreign Ministry reported that the petition was extended to its youngest son and the Brazilian government ordered the exit of Peru of both, invoking articles V and XII of the aforementioned Convention, which indicates that the State that gives asylum can request the exit of the asylum for foreign territory and the territorial state is obliged to immediately give, except for the main force, the necessary guarantees and the corresponding save. The Brazilian media were the first to advance that the Brazilian president communicated with the head of state, Dina Boluarte, who granted the necessary permits for Heredia and his son to leave the country without being arrested.
Why was Ollanta Humala sentenced to 15 years in jail?
Next to Nadine Heredia, Former President Ollanta Humala was also sentenced to 15 years in prison. The Criminal Chamber found that Humala acted in a concerted manner with his wife to obtain and channel illicit contributions during his political campaigns. While in the past he had already faced preventive detention, this is the first time he receives a firm conviction for crimes linked to money laundering.
The ruling determined that the ex -president had full knowledge of the origin of the funds from Odebrecht and entities linked to the Venezuelan government. In addition, it was established that the money served to build its political image, finance proselytizing events and guarantee its positioning in the electorate.
With this sentence, Peru adds a new former president in the prison, after Alejandro Toledo and Alberto Fujimori were sentenced and also pass through Preventive detention Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and Pedro Castillo.
