Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, accused of taking bribes related to a hydroelectric plant contract. He will serve his sentence under house arrest due to his age and disability and plans to appeal.
The conviction of a former head of state for corruption highlights ongoing struggles with graft in Ecuador and sends a strong signal about accountability for public officials, regardless of their past positions.
Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of taking bribes. The 73-year-old will serve his sentence under house arrest due to his age and disability and has indicated he will appeal the verdict.
Moreno, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, was convicted in a corruption case related to the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric dam. Prosecutors alleged that the Chinese state-owned firm Sinohydro paid $76.1 million through shell companies to individuals involved in securing the contract. Moreno's wife, daughter, and brother were among the 19 others convicted.
While prosecutors stated Moreno himself received minimal funds, his family members allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars. Those convicted must repay three times the amount they received, and Moreno is barred from public office. He has denied involvement, instead blaming former President Rafael Correa, under whom Moreno served as vice-president and who was himself sentenced for bribery in 2020.
Moreno argued that Correa approved the project and that he initiated an investigation into its construction issues upon assuming the presidency. The Ecuadorian government initiated legal proceedings against Sinohydro in 2021 due to structural and technical failures in the dam, reaching a $400 million settlement with the firm's owner earlier this year.