Brasilia, (EFE).- Nadine Heredia, former First Lady of Peru, arrived in Brazil on Wednesday under diplomatic asylum granted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government, just hours after receiving a 15-year prison sentence in a high-profile corruption case involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Heredia, wife of former President Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), was flown into Brasília aboard a Brazilian Air Force jet, following a fast-tracked asylum request and the issuance of a safe-conduct from Peruvian authorities.
She was accompanied by her youngest son, Samir, who was also granted asylum.
The case has reignited regional tensions over judicial ability and diplomatic protections, while also drawing attention to Brazil’s long-standing tradition of granting asylum to embattled political figures from across Latin America.
Corruption case tied to Odebrecht and Venezuela’s Chávez
Heredia and Humala were convicted Tuesday on charges of aggravated money laundering.
According to the court, they received illicit campaign funds from Odebrecht and the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during Peru’s 2006 and 2011 elections.
Heredia fled to the Brazilian Embassy in Lima immediately after the verdict was read.
Humala was arrested by Peruvian police and is now being held in Lima’s Barbadillo prison, home to several former Peruvian presidents, including Alejandro Toledo and Pedro Castillo, both imprisoned for separate corruption and political scandals.
The Odebrecht scandal which exposed a vast network of bribery and political kickbacks across Latin America, previously ensnared Brazilian President Lula himself.
He served 580 days in prison before his conviction was annulled in 2021 due to procedural irregularities.
Diplomatic fallout and legal debate in Peru
Heredia’s departure has sparked a political backlash in Lima.
Peru’s Foreign Minister, Elmer Schialer, has requested to appear before Congress to explain the government’s decision to authorize the safe conduct needed for Heredia to leave the country.
Eduardo Salhuana, the conservative president of Congress, acknowledged the legal obligation Peru holds under the 1954 Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum, which requires nations to grant exit permissions once asylum is granted by another state.
“Refusing would create a diplomatic conflict with Brazil, our top trade partner in Latin America and the fourth worldwide,” Salhuana told reporters while urging Schialer to clarify the government’s actions before Congress.
Heredia’s legal team confirmed she departed Peru in the early hours of Wednesday morning aboard a Brazilian military aircraft.
Brazil’s legacy of political asylum
Brazil’s decision aligns with its diplomatic history of sheltering political figures.
Past beneficiaries include former Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner, ex-Paraguayan President Raúl Cubas, and Ecuador’s Lucio Gutiérrez.
More recently, Brazil has offered protection to Venezuelan and Argentine opposition figures amid rising regional political instability.
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry cited the 1954 Convention as the legal basis for Heredia’s asylum, despite Peru’s communication that she had been convicted of serious financial crimes.
The conviction, however, remains subject to appeal.
It remains unclear whether Heredia and her son will reside permanently in Brasilia or relocate elsewhere within Brazil. EFE
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