Two former presidents were jailed in two days

Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo is one of two former leaders of the South American country to be sentenced to multiple days in prison.

The leftist leader was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday for trying to dissolve Peru’s Congress and rule by decree in 2022. The gamble failed and he was impeached and arrested.

He was convicted of “conspiracy to rebel” by the Supreme Court, which sentenced him on conviction.

Castillo’s sentencing comes a day after another former Peruvian president, Martin Vizcarra, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for taking bribes while serving as a regional governor.

A centrist politician who championed the fight against corruption during his tenure in office was convicted of bribery when he was governor of Mokegwa region from 2011 to 2014.

Prosecutors said he received bribes worth more than $600,000 (£453,753) from construction companies seeking public works contracts. Vizcarra has always maintained his innocence.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court acquitted Castillo of two other charges.

Known as Peru’s first poor president, Castillo, a former trade unionist and rural school teacher, swept to power in 2021 on a wave of disillusionment with traditional politics.

His arrest and impeachment sparked Deadly mass protests in 2022 working class in its rural areas. Security forces brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 50 people.

On Thursday, dozens of Castillo’s supporters gathered outside the prison awaiting the verdict, according to AFP.

One supporter, Julia Buendia, told the news agency that she still believes Castillo is innocent.

Vizcarra and Castillo are the latest in a series of former Peruvian presidents who have been jailed for abuses.

It was Olanta Humala who served as President between 2011 and 2016. Convicted of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prison Earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Toledo, who ruled from 2001 to 2006, was sentenced last year. More than 20 years in prison for taking a $35m (£26m) bribe from a construction company.

Peru has been plagued by political crises in recent years.

In October, Clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police in Peru’s capital Lima, leaving one man and more than 100 injured.

The protests followed the swearing-in of incumbent President José Jeri on an interim basis following the impeachment of his predecessor, Dina Boluerte.

Boluarte was expelled by MPs Due to “permanent moral incompetence” in Peru’s rising crime rates.

Her presidency included several investigations A corruption investigation called “Rolexgate”.She allegedly accepted the Rolex watches as a bribe.