Peru Rejects Presidential Pardon for Former President Pedro Castillo

Peru’s Ministry of Justice and the Directorate of Presidential Grants declared the final pending request for a presidential pardon or grace for former president Pedro Castillo inadmissible. The request, submitted by congressman Elías Varas Meléndez, failed to meet the internal regulations because it did not specify the type of clemency sought. Over the course of the current administration, 17 requests related to Castillo were examined: 14 were rejected for being submitted by third parties, two were declared inadmissible for missing deadlines, and the last was deemed procedurally improper. Minister Luis Enrique Jiménez affirmed that “no hay ninguna gracia, ningún indulto” and that the matter is closed. Castillo remains imprisoned, serving an 11‑year, 5‑month, 15‑day sentence for conspiracy tied to the failed December 2022 coup attempt, with preventive detention extended to March 2027. The decision comes before the interim government of José María Balcázar ends on 28 July 2026, after which the incoming president Keiko Fujimori will inherit the case. The UN Human Rights Committee has also given Peru a deadline of September 2026 to report on the guarantees of Castillo’s trial.