Ecuador court finds ex-President Lenín Moreno guilty of corruption

Ecuador's justice system has declared former President Lenín Moreno guilty of corruption in a case concerning the construction of the nation's largest hydroelectric plant, Coca Codo Sinclair, built by Chinese company Sinohydro. The National Court of Justice announced the first-instance ruling on Friday, finding Moreno responsible for benefiting from a corruption scheme.

Prosecutors have requested a sentence of six years and six months for the 73-year-old former president, who served from 2017 to 2021. According to the prosecution, Moreno's family allegedly received around $1 million in bribes from Sinohydro between 2007 and 2013, when Moreno was vice president under socialist ex-president Rafael Correa. This was allegedly in exchange for favoring the construction of the plant, which began operating in 2016.

Moreno, who moves in a wheelchair, has denied the allegations, stating, "I have not received a single cent from Sinohydro." The prosecution claims the Chinese company paid $76 million in bribes, amounting to 4% of the project's cost. The court's ruling stated that four defendants, including Lenín M., are responsible for the crime of bribery.

This case adds to a series of corruption allegations in Ecuador. Former President Rafael Correa, who lives in Belgium, was convicted in absentia in 2020 and sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption. Moreno, who was Correa's chosen successor, distanced himself from his predecessor's party after taking office, pivoting towards right-wing policies and closer ties with the United States. The current case also involves about twenty other individuals, including Moreno's wife, daughter, businessmen, and a former Chinese ambassador to Quito.

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No he recibido un solo centavo por parte de Sinohydro