Correa went from president to processed for kidnapping

Ecuadornews:

It is the first case, of the eight that reach Rafael Correa, which reaches the National Court of Justice. He is being prosecuted as former President of the Republic for his alleged participation in the kidnapping of political activist Fernando Balda, which occurred in August 2012, in Bogotá, Colombia.

National Judge Daniella Camacho cited, at 10:00 today, all involved for the trial preparatory hearing. She warned that, for no reason, will be deferred. The diligence will be installed, however, without one of the main actors: Correa is in Belgium and will only be represented by his lawyers. In this part of the process his presence is not necessary.

He has chosen to defend himself in social networks. Yesterday, he described the process as a show, fraud and political persecution. Correa says there is “irrefutable evidence of false testimony, forged evidence and blackmail.” And he announced that, whatever happens in the process in the Court, it will go to international instances. Yesterday, for example, he denounced Ecuador before the United Nations

As part of his ‘virtual defense’, the has former president tried to undermine the testimony of Raúl Chicaiza, the intelligence agent who allegedly participated in the attempted abduction of Balda along with Diana Falcón (both detainees). Chicaiza, who has a cooperation agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, stated that she had informed Correa of the case.

But that is not the only indication that the prosecution has against the former president. In the investigation process, the entity gathered at least three versions and four letters that make it presume that Correa “in his capacity as president of the Republic, being the immediate superior and therefore chief of the national intelligence secretary, was the one ordered the commission of the infraction. ” The prosecution is convinced that Correa “had perfect knowledge” of Balda’s situation in Colombia as well as the efforts of intelligence agents to bring him back.

The presumption, moreover, is that the kidnapping attempt was part of a complex operation financed with public resources. And that will have to prove the prosecutor Paúl Pérez, in the preparatory hearing that must be installed today.

Indications

Witness

According to Diego Vallejo, ex-adviser, Rafael Correa had directly ordered José Serrano, then Minister of the Interior, “to be brought in as much as possible to Fernando Balda of Colombia.”

Letter

In one of the letters sent to Correa, the ex-agent Raúl Chicaiza tells him: “Ecuador under his mandate on different occasions has directed its high-level officials to pay attention to this case.”

Red diffusion

Interpol reviews the prison order

The National Court of Justice sent yesterday, to the Central Office of the Interpol in Quito 86 certified copies of Rafael Correa’s link to the criminal proceedings, the precautionary measures ordered against him as well as the anticipated testimonies of the ex-agents Raúl Chicaiza and Diana Falcon This documentation seeks to justify the preventive detention ordered against the former official and the consequent “red diffusion”. Interpol plans to review the Correa case on October 15. (I)

Source: https://www.expreso.ec/actualidad/rafaelcorrea-casobalda-secuestro-fiscalia-DK2378498