Guillermo Bermejo denied prison leave for father's funeral

The Peruvian government has denied a request by former congressman Guillermo Bermejo to leave the Ancón I prison following the death of his father. Bermejo, who is serving a fifteen-year sentence for affiliation with the terrorist organization Sendero Luminoso, had requested a 72-hour leave to attend the funeral.

To accommodate the request while maintaining security, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers announced that a space has been prepared within the prison facility to allow for the farewell ceremony. This decision follows warnings from the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Terrorism Crimes, which advised the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) and the Ministry of Justice against granting leave due to Bermejo's perceived danger and the risk of escape attempts.

Bermejo was sentenced in October 2025 for receiving ideological and military training from Sendero Luminoso leaders in the VRAEM and acting as a link to international terrorist organizations, including Colombia's FARC.