Ecuador Judiciary Launches Probes into 11 Former Officials Over National Court Selection Irregularities

Ecuador's Council of the Judiciary has launched administrative inquiries against 11 former authorities and judicial employees. These individuals participated in the 2024 public selection process for judges and conjueces of the National Court of Justice. The resolution, adopted during ordinary session 111-2026, targets those involved in drafting, reviewing, validating, and approving the regulations, technical reports, and procedures for selecting candidates.

A disciplinary investigation uncovered indications that the involved personnel allegedly overlooked substantive and procedural errors in the documents governing the competition. The analysis also pointed to potential irregularities during the merits phase. According to the Council of the Judiciary, these issues may have contributed to the subsequent declaration of the entire selection process as null and void.

The initiated inquiries aim to determine if disciplinary offenses occurred and to assign potential responsibilities to the individuals involved in the various stages of the selection process. In a separate decision, the Council also ordered inquiries and investigations into judicial staff and former officials in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, and Esmeraldas for alleged disciplinary breaches outlined in the Organic Code of Judicial Function. The specific number of individuals and the exact actions under investigation in these provinces were not detailed in the provided information.