Seizure of Aquiles Alvarez's assets executed in 'Goleada' case

Ecuadorian authorities have initiated the seizure of assets belonging to Aquiles Alvarez, the mayor of Guayaquil, as part of the "Goleada" case, which is investigating alleged money laundering activities. The process began on Friday, June 12, 2026, with the confiscation of a department located on Isla Mocolí.

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the measure affects people who are not part of the process.

The operation, ordered by Judge Jairo García, was executed by the Technical Secretariat for Public Sector Real Estate Management (Inmobiliar) in less than 24 hours. Police entered the mayor's apartment, where his wife, Fiorella Icaza, their three minor children, and his parents-in-law reside. According to the Public Ministry, Alvarez's wife and mother allegedly acquired properties using funds derived from the illegal sale of fuel, identified as "substances subject to control."

The Prosecutor's Office has drawn connections between this case and previous findings in the "Triple A" case, which is also under investigation. Among the identified and seized assets are apartments, parking spaces, warehouses, plots in the Blue Bay urbanization, and land in Guayaquil and Daule. These properties are registered under the real estate company Fiorema S.A. and other entities linked to the mayor's family circle. Investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the funds used for these acquisitions.

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the situation involves three minors and a person with a disability who have not been accused within the cause.

David Norero, a lawyer for Mayor Alvarez, stated that the asset seizure affects individuals not directly involved in the judicial process. He argued that the focus should not be on the mayor or political positions, as the situation involves minors and a person with a disability who have not been formally accused. Norero emphasized that these individuals might face consequences from adult decisions and that certain limits should not be crossed in a state of law. He also reiterated that Aquiles Alvarez is presumed innocent, as per the Constitution.

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Aquiles Álvarez maintains the presumption of innocence, a principle recognized in the Constitution for all