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Peru's Supreme Court upholds 12-month detention extension for ex-President Castillo
🇧🇴 Bolivia /Crime & Justice

Peru's Supreme Court upholds 12-month detention extension for ex-President Castillo

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Peru's Supreme Court confirmed a 12-month extension of pre-trial detention for former President Pedro Castillo.
  • Castillo is under investigation for alleged organized crime, influence peddling, and collusion during his presidency.
  • The court cited uncertainty about his residence and an increased flight risk, partly due to his family's asylum in Mexico.

Peru's Supreme Court has upheld a 12-month extension to former President Pedro Castillo's pre-trial detention, prolonging his confinement until March 2027. Castillo, who served as president from 2021 to 2022, is currently serving an 11-year and 5-month sentence for a failed coup attempt.

The judicial decision, confirmed by local media, stems from ongoing investigations into alleged organized crime, influence peddling, and collusion during his time in office. The Supreme Court's Permanent Criminal Chamber stated that Castillo's "uncertain" home address and a "vigent and aggravated" flight risk were key factors in their ruling.

Magistrates pointed to indications of Castillo seeking political asylum and a potential to evade justice, especially given foreign support, as his family has been granted asylum in Mexico. The court found the defense's appeal to invalidate the detention extension to be unfounded.

his home address is "uncertain" and the flight risk of the investigated is "vigent" and "aggravated."

— Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme CourtThe court's reasoning for extending Castillo's pre-trial detention.

The corruption case itself is complex, involving a broad investigation dubbed "macroinvestigation" that includes over 90 individuals and scrutiny of technical records across various municipalities. Allegations range from illicit acts during Castillo's presidency concerning state oil company Petroperú's biodiesel purchases to alleged bribes in the Tarata III Bridge tender and the issuance of a decree prioritizing municipal works.

Castillo was detained on December 7, 2022, following his attempted coup. He has been held at the Barbadillo prison, a facility known for housing former presidents. The Public Ministry has yet to formalize its charges, leaving the potential sentence Castillo faces unknown. This extended detention adds another layer to the ongoing legal and political turmoil in Peru.

indications of a pretension for political asylum by Castillo and also of "a possible evasion of justice given the facilities of foreign support."

— MagistratesThe court's justification for the flight risk assessment.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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