Ecuador's Ex-President and Chinese Envoy Seek to Avoid Jail in Bribery Case

Key facts

• Lenin Moreno, former president of Ecuador, and Cai Runguo, former Chinese ambassador to Quito, requested that Ecuador's top court spare them five-year prison sentences.
• The sentences were imposed last week by a three-judge panel of the National Court of Justice for a US$76 million bribery scheme.
• Moreno was convicted of bribery related to contracts for the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, built by Sinohydro, a unit of Chinese state group PowerChina.
• The judges unanimously found that Moreno used his position as vice-president (2007-2013) to help secure financing for the project.
• Moreno has not been detained and remains in Ecuador; because he is paraplegic, he would serve his term at home if the conviction is upheld.
• The judges will consider his request on September 7; if granted, his prison term would be suspended with conditions like periodic reporting.
• Moreno denied receiving any money from Sinohydro, stating, "I have not received a single cent from Sinohydro, so please do not come and tell me that I am an accused man."
• The case is linked to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has faced scrutiny over corruption and debt issues.