Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno sentenced to 5 years in prison for receiving bribes from a Chinese company
PoliticsVila Real

Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno sentenced to 5 years in prison for receiving bribes from a Chinese company

El Periódico Mediterráneo - General29 August 2026 at 08:23

Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno, who governed the country between 2017 and 2021, was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison for the crime of corruption. The sentence was handed down by an Ecuadorian court that found it proven that he received kickbacks to facilitate financing for the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant.

The Coca Codo Sinclair is the largest hydroelectric power plant in Ecuador, and the company responsible for its construction was the Chinese Sinohydro. The court determined that Moreno received improper payments precisely to favor the approval of financing destined for this project.

The case is part of a broader investigation process into corruption in public contracts in Ecuador, which has already resulted in several convictions of former government officials. The sentence against Moreno represents a milestone in the fight against impunity in the South American country.

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