Ecuador: Pro- and anti-Correa protests possible

Event

Former President Rafael Correa has been ordered by the National Court of Justice (Corte Nacional de Justicia; CNJ) to give testimony regarding the 2012 kidnapping of a member of congress. Correa is suspected of having ordered the crime. According to the CNJ order, announced on Monday, June 18, Correa will have to report to a court in the capital Quito every two weeks beginning on July 2. Correa, who has been living in Belgium since leaving power in 2017, has called the charges political persecution. Protests by Correa supporters and opponents are possible in the coming days and weeks, notably in Quito.

Context

Correa had previously been linked to corruption scandals related to the energy multinationals Odebrecht and PetroChina, although formal charges were never filed. However, Ecuador’s former Vice President Jorge Glas was sentenced to six years in prison in December 2017, charged with accepting bribes while serving under Correa in connection with the Odebrecht scandal.

Advice

Individuals in Ecuador are advised to keep abreast of the situation and avoid all protests as a precaution due to the potential for violence.