Overview

• The Tercer Juzgado Penal Unipersonal de La Libertad convicted Fernández over a 2023 complaint by municipal worker Julio Enrique Morillas for defamation via social media.
• The court ordered a nationwide arrest, set sentence computation from the moment of capture, and designated El Milagro prison in Trujillo for his internment.
• The ruling includes S/20,000 in civil reparation payable to Morillas.
• Fernández’s lawyer announced an appeal, and reporting indicates the sentence will be enforced while the appeal is processed.
• Speaking from clandestinity, Fernández alleged political interference and is effectively out of the 2026 presidential race as a pre-candidate of Un Camino Diferente.