Judge convenes bail hearing against Correa and Glas in Arroz Verde case

The National Court of Justice (NYC) of Ecuador on Wednesday decided to hold a public hearing to badociate tax instruction in the case of alleged "kickbacks" that splash the old President Rafael Correa and several of his coreligionists.

The Court indicated that the hearing would take place in the headquarters building of the CNJ. It was convened by 22 people identified by the Office of the Prosecutor as part of the investigation, among whom was former Vice President Jorge Glas, Viviana's current legislator. Bonilla, several former Correlial officials and some businessmen.

The prosecutor's office suspects that its investigation is related to the crimes of corruption, illicit badociation and trafficking of influence, in the alleged illegal financing of the political movement Alianza País (AP), then led by Correa, who was leading Ecuador between 2007 and 2017.

The announcement of the date of the judicial hearing follows the decision of the National Assembly (Parliament) which, with the vote of 78 legislators, refused Wednesday the request of a judge CNJ to lift the immunity of lawmaker Bonilla, as well as the jurisdiction of Correa and Glas.

The plenary of the Assembly declared the application of Judge Daniela Camacho inadmissible, finding that the legislator Bonilla did not enjoy parliamentary immunity and that Correa and Glas did not already occupy the charges for which they are the subject of an investigation for alleged crimes committed between 2012 and 2016.

As it has already happened in similar situations, the legislative decision opened the door to justice for it to start the criminal trial and continue the process.

The "Bribes 2012-2016" case is also known as "Green Rice" and is linked to the alleged illegal financing of the AP group, while it was headed by "correísmo", although this training is currently headed by the country's president, Lenin. Moreno, the former religious of Correa, became his most bitter political rival.

According to tax investigations, the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht allegedly financed the PA illegally during the Correa period.

The former President Correa, who currently resides in Belgium and has managed to escape from other causes of alleged corruption, denied the charges and warned against alleged judicial and political persecution against him aimed at Eliminate from the Ecuadorian electoral map. EFE