Ecuadorean ex-President Lenin Moreno to stand trial for bribery charges

The erstwhile South American person is accused of receiving bribes connected to the operation of the Coca Codo Sinclair powerfulness plant.

One of Ecuador’s caller presidents, Lenin Moreno, volition basal proceedings for charges related to an alleged bribery scheme.

On Monday, Judge Olavo Hernandez ruled that the prosecution against Moreno, who served arsenic president from 2017 to 2021, could proceed.

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The charges stem from a years-long enquiry into the operation of the country’s largest hydroelectric powerfulness installation — and whether Moreno inappropriately favoured a Chinese institution for its construction.

“This justice resolves to bring national Lenin Moreno to proceedings arsenic the nonstop perpetrator of the transgression of bribery,” Hernandez said successful the decision.

Moreno has denied immoderate allegations of wrongdoing. He presently lives successful Paraguay.

But successful a video posted to societal media, Moreno denounced the prosecution’s case, which began successful 2023.

“I person presented each the grounds to the lawyer general’s office, and they person not been capable to beryllium that I received a azygous cent,” Moreno said. “Let’s not let specified a large injustice to beryllium committed.”

According to prosecutors, the amerciable actions began portion Moreno was vice president, from 2007 to 2013.

They impeach Moreno of utilizing his sway to guarantee the Chinese steadfast Sinohydro received authorities contracts to conception the Coca Codo Sinclair powerfulness plant, which began operations successful 2016.

In return, prosecutors allege that Sinohydro doled retired bribes worthy astir $76m betwixt 2009 and 2018.

According to Ecuador’s erstwhile Attorney General Diana Salazar, Moreno’s household had concern connections to Sinohydro, and they formed a “corruption network” that had “interstate and transnational reach”.

She has accused Moreno and his household of engineering “a mendacious representation of consulting and practice services” to transmission bribes done “gifts, checks and transfers”.

Since its opening, the Coca Codo Sinclair works has struggled with method issues, including cracks successful its construction.

The hydroelectric dam has besides drawn scrutiny for the circumstances of its construction: Ecuador took retired loans from China worthy astir $19bn for Coca Codo Sinclair and different projects.

As of 2024, the country’s full gross home merchandise (GDP) was lone astir $124.7bn, according to the World Bank.

Moreno became vice president nether left-wing person Rafael Correa, who inspired a loyal governmental question successful Ecuador known arsenic “correismo”.

By 2017, Correa had completed 3 presumption and was constricted by instrumentality from moving again.

Moreno ran alternatively arsenic the typical for Correa’s PAIS Alliance and won — but helium yet faced backlash for pursuing centre-right economical reforms that deviated from his predecessor’s platform. The 2 leaders person since turned into salient critics of 1 another.

In the aftermath of the bribery charges, Moreno has said that helium is the unfortunate of “terrible persecution” led by the forces of “correismo”.