Peru's Constitutional Court frees Vladimir Cerrón, overturns 2‑year preventive detention
On July 21‑22, 2026 Peru's Constitutional Court (TC) voted 4‑3 to grant a habeas corpus filed by Vladimir Cerrón, the leader of the Perú Libre party. The ruling nullified the 24‑month preventive detention that had been imposed while he faces investigation in the "Los Dinámicos del Centro" case for alleged organized crime and money‑laundering. The Court also ordered the application of alternative measures to ensure his presence during the process.
Lawyer Wilber Medina praised the decision as a correction of what he called "judicial fiscal barbarism," stressing the need for swift resolutions on liberty matters. Shortly after the judgment, Cerrón used his X account to suggest that interim President José María Balcázar grant a pardon to former president Pedro Castillo and a safe‑conduct pass to ex‑minister Betssy Chávez.
The TC emphasized that the previous judicial rulings had insufficiently motivated the continuation of preventive detention and violated personal liberty guarantees. The decision marks a significant development in Peru's political‑legal landscape, affecting a high‑profile opposition figure.