Ecuadorian mayor arrested in probe over alleged illicit enrichment

Ecuadorian police have arrested Darío Macas, the mayor of Machala city in the southern El Oro province, as part of an investigation into alleged illicit enrichment. The arrest took place on Monday during two coordinated raids, during which the mayor's wife and a third individual were also detained for investigative purposes, according to the State Attorney General's Office.

The operation, detailed on social media by the Public Ministry with a photograph of the mayor under police guard, is part of a broader effort to combat corruption. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the investigation was prompted by findings from the Financial Analysis Unit.

Interior Minister John Reimberg elaborated that the unit's work uncovered a significant increase in the mayor's personal wealth. This alleged accumulation of assets appears to have been channeled through family-owned businesses, some of which are reportedly shell companies, as well as through administrative dependencies within the Machala municipality.

"Zero impunity," Minister Reimberg stated in his message, underscoring the government's commitment to prosecuting corruption cases. The investigation aims to determine the legality of Mayor Macas's financial activities and the sources of his increased net worth.

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Zero impunity