Former Ecuadorian President imprisoned for corruption

Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, according to prosecutors. The 73-year-old, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, denied receiving any bribes from a Chinese firm, Sinohydro, which secured a contract to build the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant. Moreno insisted he had no knowledge of the alleged bribery scheme, blaming former President Rafael Correa instead.

Correa, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for bribery in a separate case in 2020, allegedly signed off on the Coca Codo Sinclair project. Moreno's family members, including his wife, daughter, and brother, were also sentenced to prison for their alleged roles in the scheme. The court found Moreno and 19 others guilty of corruption, and convicted them of receiving tens of thousands of dollars from the bribery scheme.

Those found guilty will be required to repay three times the amount they received, while Moreno was barred from holding public office. The Ecuadorian government reached a $400m settlement with Sinohydro earlier this year due to technical failures at the dam. Moreno's case is the third corruption conviction for a former Ecuadorian leader.