Pedro Castillo lacks legal and medical basis for humanitarian pardon in Peru

Former Justice Minister Víctor García Toma said former President Pedro Castillo does not meet the legal or medical criteria required for a humanitarian pardon. He explained that the measure demands a severe, terminal, irreversible illness verified by specialist‑endorsed medical documentation, which the defense‑submitted reports do not provide. García Toma also stressed that a pardon cannot be issued without the minister of Justice’s endorsement and an opinion from the Presidential Grants Commission, noting that any irregular pardon could be declared null.

Former Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo echoed the procedural hurdles, stating that a pardon also requires a final, firm conviction. Castillo’s case remains on appeal after a first‑instance sentence for the December 7 2022 coup attempt, so a definitive judgment is still pending. Del Castillo questioned the validity of a recently circulated medical report, citing the precedent of former President Alberto Fujimori, whose humanitarian pardon was subject to rigorous health‑related review.