Rafael Correa, Lenín Moreno, Guillermo Lasso and their governments are part of investigations by the Prosecutor’s Office for alleged acts of corruption.
Guillermo Lasso and Lenín Moreno during the presidential change of command, on May 24, 2021, in Quito.
The government administrations of Ecuador, between 2007 and 2023, are under legal scrutiny. The State Attorney General’s Office has ongoing investigations against officials of the last three regimes.
- Rafael Correa: January 15, 2007 to May 24, 2017
- Lenín Moreno: May 24, 2017 to May 24, 2021
- Guillermo Laso: May 24, 2021 – present
Most of the cases are related to acts of corruption. Although there are also processes that prosecute common criminal offenses such as kidnapping, homicide and drug trafficking.
There is even a case – still under investigation – that would involve the last three governments. The Prosecutor investigates the existence of a structure that illegally controls contracts in public companies.
That plot would have started in the Correa administration. But it would have continued in the governments of Moreno and Lasso. For this reason, the case has been called Encuentro, since it is a common denominator in the last administrations.
The investigations
PRIMICIAS presents the status of the cases against the last three Government. In the first two, even, the investigations point to the first leaders.
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Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa was president of Ecuador between 2007 and 2017.
For a matter of time, the government of Rafael Correa has been the one that has been investigated the most. Even Correa himself already has a sentence against him and his current status is that of a fugitive.
- Cases about his administration
Currently, there are several open cases against Correísmo officials. The most emblematic were Odebrecht and Bribes 2012-2016, which ended with sentences against Correa and his former vice president, Jorge Glas.
Also pending are, for example, the case of the Dhruv helicopters. In this process, embezzlement is being investigated and part of the defendants are two former Correa Defense Ministers: Javier Ponce and Wellington Sandoval.
Recently, the Prosecutor’s Office prosecuted 37 people for bribery; four were officials of the Correa administration. They are being investigated for a bribery scheme associated with the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant.
- Cases that would involve Correa
In addition to the sentence that has already been handed down against him, former President Rafael Correa has at least three dozen other investigations open against him.
For example, Correa has a kidnapping trial pending. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the former president participated in the plagiarism of Fernando Balda in Colombia. When he returns to the country, the trial will begin.
Also, according to the record of the Prosecutor’s Office, there are previous investigations against him for embezzlement, treason, murder and hate crimes, among others.
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Lenin Moreno
Lenín Moreno, former president of Ecuador, during a press conference for the presentation of the technical director of the Soccer Team, in January 2020. Reuters
Almost two years after he left power, the Prosecutor’s Office has opened dozens of cases of alleged corruption against the administration of Lenín Moreno.
- Cases about his administration
The most important case that the Prosecutor’s Office opened, in relation to the Moreno government, is the so-called Las Torres. Recently, former comptroller Pablo Celi was sentenced to 13 years in prison for this case.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in the Comptroller’s Office, in Petroecuador and in the Presidency of the Republic, there was a structure that collected bribes in exchange for the payment of overdue invoices and the vanishing of glosses.
On the side of the Presidency, the major involved was José Agusto, former Secretary of the Presidency. However, the former official died when he was serving preventive arrest, in Quito
In addition, the Food Kit case is pending. Former Minister Alexandra Ocles will be tried for alleged influence peddling in the purchase of kits for those affected by the pandemic.
- Cases that would involve Moreno
The only known case in which Lenín Moreno is directly involved is Sinohydro , for the bribes for Coca Codo Sinclair.
However, this process has nothing to do with his administration, since it happened when he was Vice President of Rafael Correa.
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Guillermo Lasso
President Guillermo Lasso, in a meeting with governors, in Guayaquil, on February 25, 2023. TW @Presidencia_Ec
Although the government of Guillermo Lasso has not yet reached the middle of its term, the allegations of alleged corruption against it have not waited.
- Cases about his administration
For the moment, only one case of alleged corruption in the Lasso administration has advanced procedurally. This is the Danubio case, in which the Prosecutor ‘s Office is investigating a plot to sell public office in the Customs Service.
One of the defendants even accepted the crime and was sentenced to a year in prison. The sentence was conditionally suspended.
In addition, the Public Ministry is investigating a bribery scheme in Petroecuador. The case is still in reserve, but one of those involved is Marcos Miranda, former legal undersecretary of the Lasso Presidency.
- Cases that would involve Lasso
There is still no criminal case directly against Lasso. The Prosecutor’s Office even confirmed to PRIMICIAS that the investigations they are carrying out on this Government have not yet reached the National Jurisdiction Unit, which is in charge of cases related to high-level officials.
However, the public accusations against Lasso have not waited. His brother-in-law, Danilo Carrera, is involved in two recent cases.
First, the Encuentro case, which refers to alleged corruption in public companies and which would have started in the correista administration. In addition, the Prosecutor’s Office requested to reopen the León de Troya process, which pursues drug trafficking and links Carrera to Albanian criminal groups.
Due to the proximity of Lasso to Carrera, the connection of the President to the investigations has been requested. These cases are even the main arguments for the political trial that is being prepared in the Assembly and that seeks the early departure of Lasso from power.
