Ecuador’s former president convicted of corruption

An Ecuadorian court convicted former President Lenin Moreno of accepting bribes from a Chinese company involved in the construction of the country's largest hydroelectric dam. Moreno, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, was among four individuals convicted in the case. The Attorney General's office stated that Moreno received bribes from Sinohydro, a Chinese company, totaling US$76 million, which equates to approximately four percent of the dam's construction cost.

Moreno, who was vice-president under then-President Rafael Correa from 2007 to 2013, fell out with his mentor and shifted to the right, aligning more closely with the United States. The court in Quito has not yet sentenced Moreno, who remains free pending his sentencing. The 73-year-old paraplegic, who previously served as the UN special envoy on disability issues, denied receiving any money from Sinohydro and blamed the case on Correa's regime, claiming that his former backer and rival promised to take revenge on him.

Three other Ecuadorian nationals, including two former managers of the power plant, were also convicted alongside Moreno. More than 20 people have been implicated in the case in total, including Moreno's wife, daughter, businesspeople, and a former Chinese ambassador to Quito.