Ecuador opposition leader Luisa Gonzalez arrested in campaign finance probe

Gonzalez’s Citizen Revolution Movement has denounced the apprehension arsenic politically motivated, calling for her release.

Ecuadorian absorption person Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested arsenic portion of an probe into alleged irregularities successful the financing of her 2023 statesmanlike campaign.

Local media reported connected Thursday that Gonzalez, a salient left-wing person and state of erstwhile President Rafael Correa, was detained successful Canuto, a agrarian municipality successful occidental Ecuador.

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She mislaid statesmanlike elections to right-wing President Daniel Noboa successful some 2023 and 2025.

In a connection connected societal media, Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office said it had executed apprehension warrants against 3 radical suspected of wealth laundering.

Seven radical are nether probe implicit “inconsistencies successful the contributions and the lawful root of the funds” during the 2023 statesmanlike campaign.

Investigators are examining the usage of a web of entities to transmission astir $500,000 for run advertizing betwixt May and August 2023.

The lawyer general’s bureau has alleged that the wealth whitethorn person been transferred improperly, without disclosing the sources of the wealth oregon the identities of contributors.

The investigation, known arsenic the Laberinto case, follows an earlier probe into alleged irregular run financing. Authorities person antecedently investigated claims that wealth brought from Venezuela was utilized to concern Gonzalez’s 2023 statesmanlike bid. Gonzalez has denied wrongdoing.

Gonzalez described the accusations arsenic “absurd” successful a station connected the societal media level X, comparing her concern to that of a governmental prisoner.

She besides called connected her supporters to unite successful pursuit of ideology successful the look of the “Noboa dictatorship”.

“I volition respond with the dignity of Ecuadorians who beryllium thing and who are committed to achieving state for Ecuador and a amended aboriginal for the country,” she wrote of her arrest.

Gabriela Rivadeneira — the president of the Citizen Revolution Movement, of which Gonzalez is simply a subordinate — besides denounced the apprehension arsenic governmental persecution. She demanded Gonzalez’s contiguous release.

Correa, who served arsenic president from 2007 to 2017, besides rejected the allegations, calling the lawsuit persecution.

“Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!” Correa wrote connected X.

Gonzalez, a lawyer and erstwhile subordinate of Ecuador’s National Assembly, fought a notably acrimonious statesmanlike contention against Noboa. The 2 candidates faced each different successful a run-off contention successful April 2025, resulting successful Noboa winning with much than 55 percent of the vote.

But Gonzalez rejected the results arsenic fraudulent and demanded a recount. Noboa’s government, meanwhile, accused her governmental question of conspiring with transgression groups to crippled attacks against the right-wing leader.

Noboa, a close ally of United States President Donald Trump, has cracked down connected the absorption since winning re-election past year.

In March, the Citizen Revolution Movement was suspended from participating successful upcoming section elections. The section elections are scheduled for November 29.