Former Peruvian President Toledo Seeks Pardon on Health Grounds

Kathmandu. Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for a corruption case, has formally requested the government to grant him a pardon on humanitarian grounds, citing his deteriorating health. His lawyers confirmed on Monday that the request has been submitted to the government.< /p>

In a written petition submitted to the government, the 81-year-old Toledo mentioned that his health has continuously worsened during his imprisonment, and doctors have warned of a possible heart attack or stroke at any time. Toledo, who served as Peru's president from 2001 to 2006, demanded to be released on humanitarian grounds due to his health condition.< /p>

His lawyer, Carlos Torres, told AFP that the demand for a pardon was inevitable due to Toledo's critical health condition. According to him, the formal request for release was registered with the Lima administration on Monday.< /p>

Toledo's request was filed about two weeks before Keiko Fujimori takes office. Keiko Fujimori is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, and Toledo was considered one of her main political rivals.< /p>

Toledo was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2024 for accepting millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for public infrastructure contracts in the high-profile corruption case involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. He later received an additional sentence the following year in a money laundering case related to the same scandal.