Abdalá Bucaram faces arrest order in Ecuador COVID-19 case

An Ecuadorian court has ordered the arrest of former president Abdalá Bucaram following the sixth failed attempt to hold a sentencing hearing. The proceedings, which date back to 2020, involve allegations of organized crime related to the irregular commercialization of approximately 21,000 COVID-19 rapid tests and other medical supplies during the pandemic.

Bucaram, 74, is currently hospitalized in intensive care at the Clínica Borja in Guayaquil following recent cardiac surgery. Due to his medical condition, the court has ordered the National Police to maintain permanent surveillance at his hospital and to execute his arrest immediately upon his medical discharge to ensure his presence for the sentencing.

In response, Bucaram’s wife, María Rosa Pulley Vergara, has filed a habeas corpus petition with the Guayas Provincial Court of Justice. The defense argues that his delicate cardiovascular condition makes a transfer or detention a risk to his life and integrity. The case also involves Bucaram’s son, Jacobo Bucaram, as well as Sheinman Oren and Leandro Berrones.