Former Ecuadorian president Lenín Moreno asks court to suspend prison sentence

Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has asked the courts to conditionally suspend his five-year prison sentence for bribery. A hearing on the request is scheduled for Monday.

Moreno’s wife, Rocío González, their daughter Irina Moreno, and his brothers Edwin and Guillermo have made similar requests. The brothers received sentences of two years and six months, as did other people convicted in the case.

A National Court of Justice tribunal sentenced Moreno and 19 others last Friday. The judges found that he received bribes connected to the financing and construction of Coca Codo Sinclair, Ecuador’s largest hydroelectric plant, built by the Chinese company Sinohydro.

According to the court, Sinohydro paid $76 million to an alleged business network, which then distributed money among companies and individuals, including members of Moreno’s family. The payments began in 2010, when Moreno served as vice president under Rafael Correa.

The court said Moreno used his position to intervene outside his official authority in a way that benefited Sinohydro, while receiving advantages through his family network. Moreno has denied the allegations. His family is relying on a criminal code provision that applied when the alleged offenses took place and permits conditional suspension if the sentence does not exceed five years and other requirements are met. The provision was amended in 2021 to exclude people convicted of bribery.

In addition to prison terms, the judges imposed permanent disqualification from public office, suspended the defendants’ political participation rights for the duration of their sentences, and ordered public apologies and fines.