Peru interim president Balcázar to rule on Pedro Castillo pardon within days

Interim President José María Balcázar said the Ministry of Justice will issue a formal opinion on the pardon request for former president Pedro Castillo by tomorrow or the day after. He added that no final decision has been taken yet and that the government’s immediate focus is the emergency response to the recent magnitude‑5.1 earthquake in the Junín region.

Balcázar noted that the upcoming Presidential Gratitude Commission will discuss the administrative report, and he left open the possibility that the incoming administration of Keiko Fujimori could ultimately resolve the case. He also clarified that a separate request concerning his own judicial pension is merely an update of existing benefits, not a new pension proposal.