Ecuador’s courts have found former President Lenín Moreno guilty in a corruption case involving alleged bribes tied to the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant.
The ruling centers on accusations that Moreno and other defendants accepted illicit payments in exchange for helping secure contracts for the multibillion-dollar project.
Prosecutors said the alleged scheme used offshore accounts and intermediaries to conceal payments. The case has drawn attention because Coca Codo Sinclair is one of Ecuador’s largest infrastructure projects and has faced technical and financial criticism since opening.
Moreno, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, has denied wrongdoing. The verdict is expected to carry legal and political consequences, although appeals may delay its final enforcement.
The case adds to a series of corruption investigations involving senior Ecuadorian officials and major public-works contracts. Authorities have continued pursuing alleged bribery networks that operated across government agencies and private companies.