Trial against Peru’s interim president will continue once his term ends

Lima.- An oral trial for alleged illicit appropriation against the current transitional president of Peru, José María Balcázar, will continue once his term ends on July 28, a court in the city of Chiclayo, in the north of the country, ruled, according to local media reports.

The decision was made by the Second Unipersonal Criminal Court of Chiclayo, which declared unfounded a request for the statute of limitations on the civil action filed by Balcázar’s defense.

This case is only being pursued in the civil sphere because in June 2025 the criminal action was declared extinguished as the statute of limitations for the crime had expired.

On this occasion, the court, presided over by Judge Juan Alex Cubas, dismissed the request for the definitive archiving of the case and indicated that it will continue under the rules of the jurisdictional body.

The court, however, declared the request for temporary suspension well-founded, considering the “high office” of Balcázar, although it specified that the measure will remain in effect until the end of his term, on July 28, when he will hand over the Presidency to the right-wing Keiko Fujimori.

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In that sense, it determined that the civil process will be installed on August 21, with the mandatory attendance of the parties, and that a complementary hearing will be held on August 28.

In this case, the ruler is charged with the alleged commission of the crime of illicit appropriation of funds from the Lambayeque Bar Association, whose capital is Chiclayo, during his time as dean in the 2019-2020 period.

Last February, Congress appointed Balcázar as head of the transitional Government and at that time, his lawyer, Víctor Pariona, stated that, as it was a process initiated before the president assumed the head of State, he did not have the immunity granted by the position nor the prerogative he receives for also being a congressman since 2021.

Pariona also acknowledged that funds from the Lambayeque Bar Association were deposited into the current governor’s personal accounts, but said this was done “for an administrative reason” and the money was allocated to the institution.