Overview
- Penitentiary logs indicate José María Balcázar met Pedro Castillo for roughly 120 minutes at Barbadillo about two weeks before assuming the presidency.
- The visit reportedly occurred on a day outside the INPE’s approved schedule, according to investigative reports citing official prison records.
- Balcázar justified his entry under the congressional oversight prerogative known as fiscalización, a use that legal specialists say should serve broader public inspection rather than a targeted visit.
- The Presidency stated on February 20 that Balcázar will not evaluate Castillo’s formal request for a presidential pardon submitted in mid‑February.
- Separate reports show a Castillo nephew was hired in Balcázar’s congressional office in October 2025, with that relative previously accused by prosecutors of using Air Force flights for personal purposes.