Prosecution against Pedro Delgado starts without detention

Galo Chiriboga

Yesterday began the fiscal process against Pedro Delgado Campana, former president of the Central Bank of Ecuador and cousin of the Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. The legal action seeks to prove the crime of fraudulent use of false documents.

During yesterday’s afternoon Judge Vicente Robalino, from the National Court of Justice, carried out the order of the Prosecutor to initiate an investigation and ordered the actual enforcement of interim measures, but did not issue preventive detention against the former official. Robalino gave its opinion at 16:10 after hearing the arguments of both parties.

Judge Robalino decided to take the preliminary investigations after reviewing the 27 actions performed within the preliminary investigation by the Prosecutor. Regarding the request of preventive prison issued by the prosecution, the judge said that “for the time it will not be carry out.” Delgado also has a warrant for 24 hours, issued by a judge after admitting having used a false title, the order is for investigations, but a judge also would have overturned it. Delgado’s attorneys claimed that this is the reason why he does not returns to the country.

Juan Carlos Carmigniani

The process will last approximately 60 days, which was carried out by the Attorney General Galo Chiriboga, in a hearing that began at 14:40 on the eighth floor of the Court and attended by the same prosecutor, although he has a malfeasance demand against him from the lawyers of Delgado.

Chiriboga said that there is no impediment for Delgado to attend the process hearings, adding that if convicted, Delgado would receive six to nine years in prison. For his part, Juan Carlos Carmigniani, Delgado’s attorney, described the case as illegal and a violation in the entire process.