Ecuador court orders arrest of former president Abdalá Bucaram for organised crime
An Ecuadorian criminal court issued a detention order against Abdalá Bucaram to ensure his presence at trial on organised crime charges.
Arrest warrant against Bucaram after six failed attempts to resume trial
A criminal court in Ecuador issued an arrest warrant against former president Abdalá Bucaram (1996–1997), according to radiosonora.com.mx, in order to guarantee his attendance at the final stage of the trial he faces on alleged organised crime charges. His son Jacobo Bucaram and two other individuals are also listed as defendants in the same proceedings.
The ruling came after the sixth failed attempt to reconvene the trial hearing. The former head of state's defence team reported a new hospitalisation due to complications from surgery performed on 25 August. However, the warrant will not be executed immediately: Bucaram remains in the intensive care unit of a clinic in northern Guayaquil. The magistrates ordered permanent police custody at the medical facility until he is discharged.
This is the third time the proceedings have been suspended due to health reasons relating to the accused. The previous cancellations were recorded on 26 August, following emergency heart surgery, and the following Monday, the date on which the session had been rescheduled before Bucaram was transferred to a second hospital.
Given the successive postponements, the court requested the Ministry of Public Health to conduct a comprehensive audit of the files and medical reports issued by the various clinics that have treated the former head of state. The measure seeks to determine whether irregularities occurred that could constitute an obstruction of justice.
The General Prosecutor's Office accuses Bucaram, his son and two associates of forming a criminal network that operated between March and August 2020 to irregularly commercialise 21,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests and medical supplies during the national health emergency. According to investigations by the Public Ministry, two Israeli citizens reportedly transported the materials—including masks and medical lancets—to the former president's home with the support of local traffic officers.
The trial formally began on 11 April of last year, following multiple delays accumulated since 2022, and has included testimony from 50 expert witnesses and witnesses before the final ruling is issued.
Source: Google News EC — Crime