The National Court of Justice (CNJ) of Ecuador has imposed a five-year prison sentence on former president Lenín Moreno (2017-2021), after he was declared guilty last Friday of a crime of bribery linked to the payments made by the Chinese construction company Sinohydro to secure the award of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, the largest energy project in the country.
According to the investigation, the Asian company would have disbursed 76.1 million dollars (65.7 million euros) in bribes to take the work, funds from which Moreno and 19 other defendants, including his wife, Rocío González, identified as an accomplice, would have benefited. In addition, the former president must pay 58,026 dollars as compensation.
The ruling details that Moreno, taking advantage of his position as vice president between 2007 and 2013, during Rafael Correa's government, attempted to influence a "scope outside his management" in order to guarantee the financing of the project in exchange for economic benefits.
Moreno, Conto Patiño Martínez (businessman and close associate of the former president), Cai Runguo (former Chinese ambassador and representative of Sinohydro), Yang Huijun (representative of Sinohydro), and Song Dongsheng (representative of Sinohydro) have received the highest sanction, with five years in prison. Luciano Cepeda and Henry Galarza, former managers of Coca Codo Sinclair, have been sentenced to three years in prison. For their part, González, Irina Moreno (daughter), Guillermo Moreno (brother), and Edwin Moreno (brother) have been sentenced to two years of deprivation of liberty.
"In addition, comprehensive compensation was established, which includes the return of double and triple what was received, as appropriate; the respective public apologies from the defendants; the publication of the sentence (...); the suspension of the participation rights of each defendant for a time equal to their sentence; and, for former public servants, the perpetual incapacity to hold public jobs or positions," the ruling details.
After the hearing, Moreno pointed out to the media former president Rafael Correa and former vice president Jorge Glas as responsible for the award of the plant to the Chinese firm.
"The one who signed the contract is Rafael Correa Delgado. He made a government-to-government contract (...) At what moment did I intervene? In the construction? No. The construction was done, by order of Rafael Correa, by Jorge Glass (...). I have not received a single cent from Sinohydro," he has assured.
Correa replied through his social networks, where he referred to his former vice president as "delinquent" and "scoundrel." "How compelling will the evidence be and how corrupt this scoundrel is that, with all the media friends and the power brokers in his favor, they declare him guilty. Do not forget (...) all the gang of crooks that protected this delinquent. ¡scoundrel!", he added.
The judicial process began in May, a few days after Moreno returned to the country to appear before the CNJ, after being formally accused of bribery for his alleged involvement in a corruption and bribery scheme surrounding Ecuador's main hydroelectric plant.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, this network would have operated between 2009 and 2018 and the illicit payments would not have been made directly, but through "fictitious" consultancies, shell companies, and bank transfers linked to the closest circle of the former president.