Peruvian ex-President jailed for money laundering as Brazil grants diplomatic asylum to his wife

A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced ex-President Ollanta Humala to 15 years in prison for receiving illicit campaign funds from a Brazilian construction firm.

A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced ex-President Ollanta Humala to 15 years in prison for receiving illicit campaign funds from a Brazilian construction firm, making him the nation’s latest former leader to head behind bars.

Humala and his wife were accused of receiving funds from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, now known as Novonor, in his successful 2011 election campaign.

Humala’s wife, Nadine Heredia, was also sentenced to 15 years in prison on Tuesday.

Peru’s foreign ministry said that following the verdict Heredia entered the Brazilian embassy in Lima to request asylum.

According to one of Humala’s lawyers in Brazil, Marco Aurelio de Carvalho, Heredia has cancer and had previously requested permission to travel to Brazil for treatment, but the request was declined.