Judge Bayardo Espinosa rejected the review of measures requested by Lenín Moreno and his wife. Now, the former president could be arrested.
Hearing to review the precautionary measures of Lenín Moreno, in the Sinohydro case, on March 22, 2023, in Quito.
It is getting closer to issuing an arrest warrant against former President Lenín Moreno. On March 22, 2023, the national judge Bayardo Espinosa denied the review of precautionary measures issued in the framework of the Sinohydro case.
In this case, the Public Ministry prosecuted 37 people. Judge Adrián Rojas ordered that 36 of these appear periodically before the National Court of Justice (CNJ), while the investigative phase of the process is carried out.
Ten of these defendants, including Moreno, his wife, his daughter and his brother, requested that these precautionary measures be reviewed.
In the case of the former president and his wife, Rocío González, the request was that the presentation be made before the diplomatic delegation in Paraguay, where they have resided since 2022. His defense claimed that, medically, it is impossible for him to travel to Ecuador every 15 days.
Risk of arrest for Lenín Moreno
However, Espinosa did not accept that request and ratified the production order against Moreno, his wife, his daughter, his brother and four other defendants.
The first presentation of Moreno and his wife should have taken place on March 20. But they did not , pending Judge Espinosa’s decision on the request for review of measures.
Therefore, once that request was denied, Moreno and González officially failed to comply with the alternative measure. According to the COIP, when these measures are breached, the Prosecutor’s Office can request substantiation by another more effective measure.
That is, the Public Ministry must request preventive detention for former President Moreno and his spouse. In the case of Moreno and his wife, because they are older adults, the Prosecutor’s Office had originally requested that the prison be replaced by house arrest.
The Prosecutor’s Office has not yet confirmed when it will request the change of precautionary measures. And if in addition to Moreno and González, other defendants also failed to comply with the periodic presentation. To confirm this, the entity requested a certification from the Court.
Moreno declares himself defenseless
Minutes after Judge Espinosa’s decision was made known, former President Lenín Moreno issued his reaction through his Twitter account.
The former official declared himself defenseless. And he assured that complying with the periodic presentation order is impossible, due to his health. And that only the media show is being favored.
