A court in Peru has sentenced former President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering $3m received from Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht and $200,000 from the government of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Cha

In a significant court ruling, former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for laundering $3 million derived from illicit contributions. The funds reportedly included $200,000 from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government. The verdict, delivered by a Peruvian court after a prolonged three-year trial, reflects the ongoing fallout from the massive Odebrecht corruption scandal that has implicated numerous high-profile political figures across Latin America. Humala, who served as the president from 2011 to 2016, claimed the charges against him were politically motivated, indicating a theme of political turmoil that has often plagued Peruvian leadership. This conviction marks Humala as the third former president to face incarceration due to corruption allegations, joining Alejandro Toledo and Alberto Fujimori, both of whom have also endured significant legal troubles connected to their terms in office. The case is emblematic of a broader corruption crisis in Peru, where subsequent administrations have grappled with fallout from Odebrecht's sprawling bribery schemes, which were exposed in 2016 when the company revealed its extensive bribery practices to secure contracts in various countries. The immediate consequences for Humala include his transfer to a facility tailored for incarcerated leaders, indicating the serious nature of the charges as well as the expectations for continuing political fallout from this saga. Additionally, Nadine Heredia's decision to seek asylum at the Brazilian embassy adds another layer to an already complex narrative of corruption, power, and vulnerability in a nation still striving to address widespread governmental corruption and judicial integrity. The implications of this case reverberate throughout Peru — not just for Humala and Heredia, but also for the political landscape which continues to falter under the weight of prior administrations' corrupt actions. The public's confidence in government institutions continues to be tested as this marks yet another chapter in Peru's struggle against corruption.