Aquiles Alvarez’s Defense Says He Remains Guayaquil Mayor Despite Two Convictions

Aquiles Alvarez remains mayor of Guayaquil, according to his defense, because the two convictions against him have not yet become final.

Lawyer Julio César Cueva said the rulings in the Triple A and Grillete cases are first-instance decisions and therefore have not removed Alvarez’s civil or political rights. “Because neither of the two sentences is final, the situation is practically the same as it was before the sentences were issued. He remains mayor,” Cueva said at a news conference.

Alvarez received a six-year, eight-month sentence on Saturday in the Triple A case, which concerns the alleged illegal distribution and sale of fuel. The sentence followed a separate three-year conviction in the Grillete case over his failure to use an electronic monitoring device ordered in the first proceeding.

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Because neither of the two sentences is final, the situation is practically the same as it was before the sentences were issued. He remains mayor

The defense has filed requests for clarification and expansion in the Grillete case. Among its questions is whether artificial intelligence was used to draft the first-instance ruling. In the Triple A case, Cueva said, “Alvarez and his family were not investigated by objective prosecutors or judged by impartial judges.” He also said the decision did not reflect the evidence presented at trial. The defense plans to decide its legal actions after receiving the written judgment, which was communicated orally on Saturday.

The Triple A investigation began after Ecuador’s Agency for Regulation and Control of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources reported suspected irregularities in fuel distribution and sales. Prosecutors said they found differences between fuel volumes dispatched and billed by service stations and marketing companies. They estimate the alleged loss at $61,502,658.39, involving 22,777,191.80 gallons of diesel and gasoline. Prosecutors also say expert reports found that station storage capacity did not match the volumes purchased from the companies charged.

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Alvarez and his family were not investigated by objective prosecutors or judged by impartial judges