Ecuador judge weighs Lenín Moreno request to suspend bribery sentence

An Ecuadorian judge is weighing whether former President Lenín Moreno can avoid prison by securing a conditional suspension of his five-year sentence for bribery.

The hearing is taking place at the National Court of Justice in Quito. Moreno submitted the request after a court convicted him on Aug. 28, along with 19 other people, of accepting bribes to favor financing for the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, built by the Chinese state-owned company Sinohydro.

His wife, Rocío González, daughter Irina Moreno, and brothers Edwin and Guillermo also filed requests. The brothers received sentences of two years and six months. Seven other people convicted in the same case made similar requests. The applications rely on a now-repealed provision of Ecuador’s penal code that was in force when the events occurred. It allowed prison sentences of up to five years to be suspended if specified conditions were met.

The judges adopted the prosecution’s argument that Sinohydro paid about $76 million in bribes through a network of companies. Prosecutors said the money was distributed among several people, including members of Moreno’s family. The alleged conduct dates to 2010, when Moreno served as vice president under Rafael Correa. Judges said he intervened from his position in an area outside his formal authority to benefit the Chinese company, while his family circle received advantages.

Moreno has rejected the accusations. In a social media message on Sunday, he called it “totally false” that he had helped secure financing for the hydroelectric project. The facility has also faced questions over thousands of cracks reported in the years after its construction.

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totally false