After eight years behind bars, former Guatemalan President Otto Perez has been released from prison.
“After satisfying the two financial bails and the alternative measures, he was released yesterday [Wednesday evening],” announced Thursday, January 4, to Agence France-Presse, Cesar Calderon, a lawyer who worked on both corruption cases for which the former head of state was convicted.
The 73-year-old former army general resigned from the Guatemalan presidency on September 3, 2015 during massive protests denouncing corruption within his government. He was imprisoned the same day.
Ban on leaving the country
In 2022, Mr. Perez was first sentenced to 16 years in prison for running a vast customs fraud scheme while in power. The former executive was released after posting $1.2 million bail in the case, securing two real estate properties owned by his family, his lawyer said.
In the second case, he was sentenced last September to eight years in prison for his role in a corruption operation. He had to pay around $40,000 in fines.
Each time, the judges granted Mr. Perez appeals to obtain parole. He is prohibited from leaving the country while on parole.