In a gigantic operation, agents from the Prosecutor’s Office arrested 39 people on Thursday, including the president of the Judiciary Council, judges, prosecutors, police and prison officers, among others, linked to an investigation into organized crime and drug trafficking.
The authorities are investigating signs of “a criminal structure embedded in all levels of the State and directly linked to drug trafficking” that would show “the deep structural decomposition that is rampant in the country,” explained the Attorney General, Diana Salazar, in a video published on her website. account on X, formerly Twitter.
#CaseMetástasis | Until now, 29 people – including judges, prosecutors, police, prison guides and others involved – have been detained in the operation carried out by #ProsecutorEc y @PoliciaEcuadoras part of an investigation into alleged #organized crime. pic.twitter.com/KVI2jxaFhF
— Prosecutor’s Office Ecuador (@FiscaliaEcuador) December 14, 2023
Salazar also announced the end of the “largest operation in history against corruption and drug trafficking”, in which more than 900 people participated, including prosecutors, tactical teams and special police units.
The Judicial Council is the entity in charge of the administration of the judicial system and the competitions to elect new judges, in addition to the application of disciplinary measures to officials in the sector, but it does not administer justice.
In a statement, the Judiciary expressed “its deep rejection and concern” at what it described as the “arbitrary and unsubstantiated detention” of Wilman Terán, president of that organization, as well as the raid on the headquarters building of said institution, actions of which said that “they lack foundation and violate the principles of the judicial function.
In the operation, 75 raids were carried out in six provinces and judges, former judges and a police general — who was active until last week — among other officials were arrested.
In images broadcast by the Teleamazonas television station, Terán could be seen being escorted by police. At one point, he told reporters that “this is a trick on Justice” and described his arrest as “an abuse of power,” adding that “I owe nothing, I fear nothing.”
In statements to The Associated Press, legislator Pedro Velasco, from the political alliance Actuemos, pointed out that we must support the Prosecutor’s Office because “we are interested in fighting all forms of corruption,” but also in fighting the entities where they are supposedly located. “permeating criminal organizations and illicit activities.”
At the beginning of this week, the groups of the Social Cristiano parties, on the right, and Construye, on the center-left, with the support of 40 legislators, presented a formal request for impeachment against Terán, whom they accuse of promoting an “impunity agenda” of those accused of corruption.
Assemblyman Jorge Peñafiel, from the Construye movement, which has spoken out against corruption, in his “they negotiate.”
The operation occurred days after the United States ambassador in Quito, Michael Fitzpatrick, stated that drug trafficking was seeking to extend its power and influence in the judicial function and that it has achieved an important space in areas such as soccer clubs and the media. . He did not offer names or further details.
