Riobamba Mayor remains under arrested for embezzlement

Juan Salazar, former mayor of Riobamba

Juan Alberto Salazar López, former mayor of Riobamba, is still being held in the Social Rehabilitation Center after the President of the Court of Justice of Chimborazo, Marco Diaz, denied yesterday the request of alternatives for the duration of the inquiry into the diversion of $ 13.3 million from the account of the Municipality of Riobamba in the Central Bank of Ecuador, through hacking.

Yesterday at 10:45 began the audience in the hall of President of the Court. The entry for the process was restricted and only Mariela Hidalgo, Salazar’s wife, and Marcelo Ron, his legal advisor, managed to enter the room. The former mayor has been detained since April 26, when soldiers captured him during an police operative in Pelileo, Tungurahua.

Ron pointed out that the alternative measures were sought after Jose Luis Chavez Velasquez, the alleged hacker would have used the passwords of the City Hall to withdraw the money; was captured on June 2 and thereby change the direction of the investigation.

Despite this, the Prosecution filed an indictment for evidence of involvement and arrest warrants against Mario Campos, municipal treasurer, Fanny Lasso, financial director, and Nelly Oviedo, Salazar’s adviser.

After the hearing, Ron expressed his contempt, as the president of the Court read the resolution just when the audience finished. “The request for injunctive relief was denied, the decision was already made before sitting down to the audience, if not how to explain what he read,” Ron asked, adding that his client had complained about the money detour on April 12.