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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Crime & Justice

Lenín Moreno sentenced to five years in prison for Sinohydro bribery case

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno received a five-year prison sentence for direct bribery in the Sinohydro case.
  • The case involves millions of dollars transferred by the Chinese construction company to a business network benefiting Moreno's family during his vice presidency.
  • The ruling also includes perpetual disqualification from public office for Moreno and financial restitution orders.

Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has been sentenced to five years in prison for direct bribery, a court ruled Wednesday. The National Court of Justice found Moreno guilty in the Sinohydro case, which centers on alleged illicit payments linked to the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project during his tenure as vice president.

The court determined that the Chinese construction firm Sinohydro transferred millions of dollars to a business network. These funds were ultimately distributed among various companies and individuals, including members of Moreno's inner family circle. The conviction marks a significant legal development for the former president.

In addition to the prison sentence, the ruling by judges Manuel Cabrera, Daniella Camacho, and Julio Inga also imposes a perpetual disqualification on Moreno from holding public office. The court ordered financial restitution, requiring individuals to repay triple the amounts illicitly received. This first-instance ruling is subject to appeal by the defendants.

About this summary

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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