An Ecuadorian court has sentenced former president Lenin Moreno to five years in prison after finding him guilty of accepting bribes from the Chinese firm that built the country's largest hydroelectric dam. The verdict, delivered on Friday, marks a significant legal development in a case that has drawn international attention.
Details of the Conviction
Moreno, 73, who governed Ecuador from 2017 to 2021, was one of 20 people convicted in connection with the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair dam by China's Sinohydro corporation. The prosecution announced the verdict on X, confirming that Moreno's wife and several relatives also received sentences of nearly three years for complicity.
The alleged corruption took place between 2007 and 2013, when Moreno served as vice-president under socialist leader Rafael Correa. Prosecutors say Sinohydro paid out bribes totalling $76 million, roughly four per cent of the dam project's total cost. Two former managers of the power plant were also among those convicted.
Moreno Maintains Innocence
Despite the ruling, Moreno, who is paraplegic and previously served as the United Nations special envoy on disability issues, maintained his innocence. Speaking after the verdict, he said he had never received "a single cent" from Sinohydro and blamed the prosecution on "the Correa regime."
Moreno accused his former political backer, who has also faced corruption convictions but now lives in Belgium, of orchestrating the case against him. "He promised to take revenge on me," Moreno said, referring to Correa.
Political Fallout and Appeal
The two men were once close allies. Correa backed Moreno's successful presidential run in 2017, but their relationship broke down after Moreno moved the government to the right and built closer ties with the United States.
Prosecutors had pushed for a six-and-a-half-year prison term for Moreno, making Friday's five-year sentence a partial victory for the defence. Moreno has already announced he will appeal the court's decision.
