Ecuador’s ex-president and Chinese ambassador seek to avoid jail over belt and road dam

Former Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno and a former Chinese Ambassador to Quito have sought to avoid their five-year prison sentences for their involvement in a $76 million bribery scheme. Moreno was convicted of bribery for contracts related to Ecuador’s largest hydroelectric project, Coca Codo Sinclair, built by Sinohydro, a Chinese state contractor.

However, Moreno has not been detained and remains in Ecuador due to his paralysis. The court will hear his request for the suspension of his sentence on September 7, with potential consequences including periodic reporting. Moreno claims he was never paid by Sinohydro and the case was motivated by political revenge. The dam, the most expensive ever built in Ecuador, has been plagued with defects and issues since its construction, impacting the country’s electricity supply.

The bribery scandal involved not only Moreno but also his family members, former Sinohydro representatives, and Conto Patino, a friend of Moreno’s. Twenty of the 21 defendants were convicted, with Moreno’s wife, daughter, siblings, and a sister-in-law also sentenced as accomplices. If the conviction is upheld, Moreno would serve his term at home, rather than in prison.