A former Ecuadorian president has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, marking the third such conviction among former leaders in the country.
Lenín Moreno, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, was found guilty of taking bribes from a Chinese firm involved in a hydroelectric plant project. He will serve his sentence under house arrest due to his age and disability and has announced plans to appeal the ruling.
Prosecutors allege that Sinohydro, a Chinese state-owned company, paid $76.1 million through shell companies to secure the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair dam. Moreno denied direct involvement but blamed a former president, Rafael Correa, for approving the project. The Ecuadorian government reached a $400 million settlement with Sinohydro earlier this year over technical failures at the dam.
Why it matters
The denial may influence how the court weighs the credibility of the evidence presented against him.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
Watch whether Moreno's appeal will cite specific evidence from the trial or challenge the court's findings.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.