Key facts
- Former Ecuadorean President Lenín Moreno has been found guilty of bribery by a court.
- The conviction is related to the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant.
- Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of six years and six months for Moreno and 19 other defendants.
- The court also requested disqualification from public office, fines, and reparations for those convicted.
- The case stems from a 2019 investigation into alleged illicit payments linked to the project.
An Ecuadorean court has found former President Lenín Moreno guilty of bribery in connection with the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, the country's largest. The verdict was delivered on Friday by a tribunal of the National Court of Justice (CNJ).
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of six years and six months for Moreno and 19 other defendants, including his wife Rocío González and daughter Irina Moreno. The charges relate to alleged bribes paid by the Chinese state-owned company Sinohydro, which constructed the plant. The prosecution claims a corruption network received approximately 4% of the construction value, totaling $76 million, in bribes between 2008 and 2018. Moreno himself allegedly received $220,000, with further sums directed to his relatives.
Moreno's defense attorney, David Meza, has maintained that the former president was not actively involved in the contracting process. The prosecution also sought disqualification from public office, fines, and reparations for those convicted.
The case, known as the Sinohydro case, emerged in 2019 following journalistic investigations into alleged offshore accounts and properties linked to one of Moreno's brothers. Moreno, who served as vice president under Rafael Correa before becoming president from 2017 to 2021, has asserted his innocence and stated he would remain in Ecuador to face any judicial decision.
Former President Correa, who has himself faced corruption convictions, commented that Moreno would likely receive house arrest and be released within two years, calling him "a CORRUPT" individual.