Ecuador judge orders 30 to trial in corruption case
Adds background and context about the case in paragraphs 5-9
QUITO, Oct 7 (Reuters) -A judge in Ecuador on Monday ordered 30 people to stand trial in a wide-ranging organized crime and drug trafficking case involving the Andean country's judicial system.
Defendants called to trial include the former president of the judicial system's regulator, provincial officials, judges and prosecutors, as well as a former police general and staff from the SNAI prison agency, among others.
Initially, 52 people were charged in the case, but a dozen of them received benefits for collaborating with investigators and received speedy trials and reduced sentences.
While the prosecution sought to bring 37 defendants who have not yet been tried in the case to trial, Judge Manuel Cabrera ruled on Monday that seven should be cleared on a lack of evidence.
President Daniel Noboa, a young business heir who is seeking re-election in 2025, has complained about judges and prosecutors being too lenient on members of criminal gangs, who Noboa says are at war with Ecuador.
The attorney general's office began investigating officials in Ecuador's judicial system after Leandro Norero - who authorities linked to drug trafficking gangs - was killed in prison in 2022 while jailed for money laundering.
A former legislator for ex-president Rafael Correa's party, Citizens' Revolution, is a fugitive in the case.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants used money obtained from illegal activities led by Norero to strategically move officials in the justice system and obtain legal benefits.
The operation, called Metastasis, unearthed a separate corruption case at the provincial court in Guayas province, which is being investigated by the attorney general's office.
Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Kylie Madry and Michael Perry
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
