Toledo’s legal team, led by attorney Carlos Torres, formally submitted the pardon request to the government on Monday, two weeks before Fujimori’s inauguration. Torres told AFP that the urgency of the request stems from warnings issued by doctors that Toledo could suffer a heart attack or stroke at any moment. Separately, Toledo’s lawyers have filed a request with the Supreme Court to allow him to serve his sentence at home while receiving medical treatment. Labor Minister Juan Sheput, who served in Toledo’s previous administration, has publicly supported the house arrest option over a full pardon, arguing it is more appropriate for Toledo’s age.
Fujimori responded to the plea on Monday from Piura, stating that the request will be assessed through technical and medical analysis with a humanitarian perspective. She clarified that the final decision rests with the Commission on Pardons and Presidential Graces, which will only make a determination once its members are appointed. Fujimori emphasized that the decision will not be influenced by political criteria, despite the historical political rivalry between Toledo and the Fujimori family.
Toledo is currently serving two final sentences for crimes related to the Lava Jato corruption investigation involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. In October 2024, he was sentenced to 20 years and six months for bribery in the Interoceánica Sur case, sections II and III. A subsequent ruling resulted in an additional 13 years and four months for money laundering in the Ecoteva case. Extradited from the United States in 2023, Toledo is the first former Peruvian president to be sentenced under the Lava Jato investigation.
The pardon request occurs against a backdrop of complex legal and familial issues. Toledo’s wife, Eliane Karp, who has resided in Israel since 2023, is subject to an international arrest warrant for money laundering and has publicly requested a pardon for her husband. Toledo also detailed the death of his mother-in-law, Eva Fernenbug, in Brussels and the complications surrounding her burial. President Fujimori’s administration has indicated that the procedural next step is the appointment of the Commission on Pardons and Presidential Graces, which will conduct the necessary technical and medical evaluations before a decision is rendered.
