Ecuadorian Court Faces Scrutiny Over Delays in Ex-President Bucaram's COVID-19 Test Case

The 'COVID Tests' case, involving former Ecuadorian President Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz, his son Jacobo Bucaram Pulley, and two others, has dragged on for six years without a first-instance verdict. The court has heard all arguments but has faced numerous postponements, preventing the announcement of its resolution.

In a recent development, the Provincial Directorate of the Council of the Judiciary of Pichincha initiated a disciplinary inquiry on August 13, 2026, against the presiding judge, Gandhy Cervantes. The investigation aims to determine if any infractions occurred during the prolonged final phase of the trial. The Judiciary confirmed that the tribunal has been in deliberation since May, and the disciplinary process does not yet establish responsibility against the magistrate.

The court has set a new date, August 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM, for the resumption of the hearing where a decision will be announced. The accused include Abdalá Bucaram, Jacobo Bucaram, Israeli citizen Sheinman Oren, and former Metropolitan Transit Agency (AMT) agent Leandro Berrones. Previous attempts to finalize the hearing on August 3 and August 7 failed due to the absence of a judge with a medical permit and the non-appearance of Oren's translator and Berrones' lawyer, who cited medical emergencies.

The prosecution alleges that during the 2020 health emergency, a network was involved in the illicit sale of 21,000 rapid COVID-19 tests, masks, and other medical supplies. The prosecution's theory suggests the organization used public goods and servers from the AMT to transport these products from Quito to Guayaquil. Oren and Berrones are accused as direct perpetrators, while Abdalá and Jacobo Bucaram are charged as collaborators. Specifically, Abdalá Bucaram is accused of storing tests, masks, and lancets at his residence; during a June 3, 2020 raid, authorities found 2,000 rapid tests and 5,000 masks, which were part of the investigated supplies but not the full quantity mentioned in the accusation. Jacobo Bucaram is accused of paying $321,600 in cash for the merchandise, according to witness testimony.