Ecuador: Three Pichincha Judges Face Suspension Over Mayor's Case

Three judges from Ecuador's Pichincha Provincial Court face a 90-day suspension without pay after revoking the preventive detention of Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Álvarez in the "Goleada" case. The disciplinary action by the Council of the Judiciary targets judges Silvia Velasco Velasco, Byron Uzcátegui Arregui, and Wiler Chóez Avilés.

The suspension is a precautionary measure while a disciplinary process is underway. Council President Mercedes Caicedo Aldaz stated the measure is not a final sanction but did not rule out eventual dismissal. The case stems from a complaint filed by Daniel Frías, a former candidate for Public Defender, who was not a direct party to the original case.

The controversy centers on the judges' decision on April 2, when they accepted an appeal by Mayor Álvarez and his brothers, Antonio and Xavier Álvarez Henriques. This ruling overturned the preventive detention order related to the "Goleada" case, which investigates 17 individuals for alleged money laundering linked to illegal fuel sales. Despite this, Álvarez remains under two other active arrest warrants.

The National Court of Justice reportedly identified a potential "inexcusable error" in the judges' ruling. The Council of the Judiciary asserts that the magistrates exceeded their legal powers by addressing substantive issues during an appeal that should have been limited to reviewing the preventive detention order.

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This measure is preventive and does not constitute a final sanction.