A year in prison for evangelical pastor in Guayaquil

Last Tuesday, the Eleventh Criminal Court of Ecuador sentenced evangelical pastor Eduardo Mora to one year in prison for the crime of hatred of religious cultures.

Mora, head of the Pentecostal Evangelical Church Altisimo Internacional, was arrested on May 23 after leading a revolt that caused conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Guayaquil.

The pastor is known for his controversial speeches against the Catholic practice and worship of images. He once destroyed in public an image of the face of Jesus Christ.

Other Evangelical organizations distanced themselves from the pastor and apologized to Catholics for the fanaticism of the religious leader.

In Ecuador, the constitution imposes penalties of six months to three years in prison for incitement to hatred for  racial, religious and sexual motives.