Latest news with #RafaelCorrea
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ecuador court orders 13 more years in prison for former VP Glas
QUITO (Reuters) -An Ecuadorean court on Monday sentenced former vice president Jorge Glas to 13 additional years in prison for misusing public funds allocated to rebuild areas affected by a devastating 2016 earthquake. Glas, 55, is currently in prison serving out convictions in two prior corruption cases and had been due for release in little under three years, but the latest sentence would extend his incarceration until 2041. Carlos Bernal, a former official tasked with leading the reconstruction work in the western Manabi and Esmeraldas provinces, was also given 13 more years. The court said it had applied the maximum possible sentence. The funds for the reconstruction had been raised through taxes, and a judge in the case said there were indications Glas committed embezzlement by using funds earmarked for reconstruction for other unrelated projects. Glas' lawyer argued there was no evidence of misappropriation of public funds for personal benefit or that of third parties, nor harm to the national treasury, and said the case is being used as a tool of political persecution. Glas, who served as vice president under Rafael Correa from 2013 to 2017, was captured by Ecuadorean authorities following a raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito last year, which led to the severing of diplomatic ties between Ecuador and Mexico.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Ecuador's former vice-president Jorge Glas sentenced after dramatic embassy raid
An Ecuadorian court has sentenced former vice president Jorge Glas to 13 additional years in prison for misusing public funds allocated to rebuild areas affected by a devastating 2016 earthquake. Glas, 55, is currently in prison serving out convictions in two prior corruption cases and had been due for release in little under three years. However, Monday's sentence means his jail time is extended until 2041. The court said it had applied the maximum possible sentence. The politician, who had served as vice president under the leftist Rafael Correa, was captured by Ecuadorian authorities following a raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito last year. The raid led to the severing of diplomatic ties between Ecuador and Mexico, and prompted Mexico to put in a complaint to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Mexico maintained Ecuador violated international law by breaching the embassy, while Ecuador accused its counterpart of illegally granting asylum to Glas. Glas's court case had revolved around the reconstruction work carried out after a devastating earthquake in Ecuador's coastal provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas in 2016, which left nearly 700 people dead. The Supreme Court in Quito ruled that Glas did not use the millions of dollars collected from Ecuadorian taxes towards the reconstruction for that purpose. Some of the money was used to build a bridge in a remote area far from the disaster zone. Carlos Bernal, a former official tasked with leading the reconstruction work, was also given 13 more years in jail. Glas's lawyer argued there was no evidence of misappropriation of public funds for personal benefit or that of third parties, nor harm to the national treasury. During the trial, Glas insisted he had no access to the earthquake reconstruction fund and did not manage contracts awarded by the reconstruction committee. He has long argued that he is a "politically persecuted person". Supporters were quick to condemn the court ruling. Sacha Llorenti, General Coordinator of the International Commitee for the Freedom of Jorge Glas, called it "outrageous and abhorrent". "Without evidence, political decisions are being made to keep Jorge as a political prisoner," he wrote on social media. Outside of court, Glas's defence lawyer Andrés Villegas told reporters the "dignity" of the nation's criminal justice system had been "buried" with the sentence. In 2017, Glas was removed through a decree of Correa's successor Lenín Moreno. Shortly after his removal, Glas was sentenced to six years in prison for leading a million-dollar corruption network between politicians and embattled construction company Odebrecht. The Odebrecht scandal — named after Latin America's largest construction conglomerate — is labelled by the region's legal advocates as one of the "largest transnational bribery schemes ever uncovered". In 2020, Glas was found guilty for his role in a separate scheme where he collected bribes in exchange for issuing public contracts between 2012 and 2016. He was sentenced to eight years in jail. In 2022, an Ecuadorian judge ordered Glas be released from prison, after his lawyers claimed Glas was not safe behind bars. It was after this he sought refuge in Mexico's Quito embassy. ABC/Wires
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Former Ecuadorian vice president detained in embassy raid gets 13 years in prison
The former vice president of Ecuador who was detained last year during a highly criticized police raid on Mexico's embassy in the South American country was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison. Jorge Glas had been accused of misusing public funds intended for the reconstruction of two provinces affected by an earthquake in 2016. The quake devastated communities and killed hundreds of people. Glas became vice president in 2013, during the presidency of Rafael Correa, and was removed from that position in January 2018, when he was charged in a corruption case tied to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Judge Mercedes Caicedo said the funds for reconstruction efforts following the earthquake were allocated to 'useless, unusable and unnecessary buildings' disregarding the law, and above all, 'with complete disrespect for the victims.' The court also barred Glas from ever holding public office and fined him $28,800. Glas is already in a maximum-security prison serving time in two other corruption cases. He was detained in April 2024 when police stormed Mexico's embassy in Ecuador's capital, Quito, hours after he had been granted asylum. The embassy raid sparked outrage among world leaders, who criticized Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and 'inviolable' under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and host country law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without the permission of the ambassador. Ecuador's government defended the arrest, arguing that Glas was a fugitive wanted in corruption cases, not for political reasons, and therefore was not eligible for Mexico's diplomatic protection.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Former Ecuadorian vice president detained in embassy raid gets 13 years in prison
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The former vice president of Ecuador who was detained last year during a highly criticized police raid on Mexico's embassy in the South American country was sentenced Monday to 13 years in prison. Jorge Glas had been accused of misusing public funds intended for the reconstruction of two provinces affected by an earthquake in 2016. The quake devastated communities and killed hundreds of people. Glas became vice president in 2013, during the presidency of Rafael Correa, and was removed from that position in January 2018, when he was charged in a corruption case tied to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Judge Mercedes Caicedo said the funds for reconstruction efforts following the earthquake were allocated to 'useless, unusable and unnecessary buildings' disregarding the law, and above all, 'with complete disrespect for the victims.' The court also barred Glas from ever holding public office and fined him $28,800. Glas is already in a maximum-security prison serving time in two other corruption cases. He was detained in April 2024 when police stormed Mexico's embassy in Ecuador's capital, Quito, hours after he had been granted asylum. The embassy raid sparked outrage among world leaders, who criticized Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and 'inviolable' under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and host country law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without the permission of the ambassador. Ecuador's government defended the arrest, arguing that Glas was a fugitive wanted in corruption cases, not for political reasons, and therefore was not eligible for Mexico's diplomatic protection.
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Ecuador legislature backs reform allowing foreign military bases
QUITO, June 3 (Reuters) - Ecuador's national assembly legislature on Tuesday backed a constitutional reform that would allow the installation of foreign military bases in the South American country, part of plans by President Daniel Noboa to increase cooperation to fight drug trafficking. The proposal was supported by 82 lawmakers while 60 voted against and six abstained. It must now be put to voters in a referendum on a date set by the electoral authorities. Noboa, who began a full term in late May, has said international cooperation is required to combat drug trafficking groups operating across jurisdictions. Lawmakers from his party have said that since a previous U.S. base was closed, Ecuador has become a top hub for narcotics trafficking. But the opposition says foreign military presence alone will not solve the country's security problems and that the government needs a clear plan to combat crime. The coastal city of Manta hosted the U.S. military base for a decade until 2009. Former leftist president Rafael Correa decided not to renew the base's permissions and pushed a constitutional reform to bar foreign military bases in Ecuador. Ecuadorean officials have told allies of U.S. President Donald Trump that they are interested in hosting a U.S. base, sources told Reuters in March. Noboa and Trump had an informal meeting soon after in Florida. Neither has provided many details of what they discussed. National assembly president Niels Olsen is a close Noboa ally.
