The lawyer for Tony Janzen Valverde Victoriano said his client is innocent and fled to Peru because he feared being killed [1].
This development complicates the legal proceedings against Valverde Victoriano, known as “Pequeño J,” as his flight to another country suggests a breakdown in the judicial process or a significant threat to the defendant's safety.
Lucas Contreras Alderete, the attorney representing Valverde Victoriano, spoke on the matter on May 5, 2026 [1]. He said that his client's decision to leave Argentina was not an admission of guilt but a desperate measure for survival. According to Alderete, the defendant was targeted after he chose not to provide testimony in the case [2].
“Es inocente y se fugó porque tenía miedo de que lo mataran,” Alderete said [1]. The lawyer said that the fear of assassination became the primary driver for the move to Peru. This move follows a period of tension regarding the defendant's willingness to cooperate with authorities.
Alderete said that his client had previously refused to testify [2]. He said that this refusal made Valverde Victoriano a target for those who wanted him to speak or those who wanted him silenced. The lawyer said that the flight was a direct response to these perceived threats to his life.
“Mi defendido está huyendo a Perú por temor a su vida,” Alderete said [3]. The defense maintains that the legal strategy now involves addressing the safety of the defendant, while continuing to assert his innocence in the face of the current charges.
The case now moves into a phase involving international coordination, as the defendant remains outside Argentine jurisdiction. The defense has not specified who the alleged threats originated from, only that the danger was imminent enough to justify fleeing the country [1].
“"Es inocente y se fugó porque tenía miedo de que lo mataran"”
The flight of a defendant to a neighboring country often triggers extradition requests, but the claim of death threats adds a layer of complexity. If the defense can prove the defendant's life was at risk within the Argentine judicial system, it may impact how the court handles his eventual return or the conditions of his detention.
