Ecuadorian Mayor Aquiles Alvarez Remains in Prison After Court Rejects Habeas Corpus Appeal

On July 16, 2026, Ecuador's National Court of Justice (Corte Nacional de Justicia) denied the appeal filed by lawyer Ramiro García on behalf of Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Alvarez. The court upheld the earlier decision by Judge Andrea Ordóñez of the Samborondón Multi‑competent Judicial Unit, which on June 11, 2026 rejected Alvarez's habeas corpus request and confirmed his preventive detention.

Alvarez continues to serve his sentence at the Encuentro Prison in Santa Elena, where he was transferred on March 9 after being moved from the Cotopaxi facility. He faces three separate criminal investigations – the "Triple A" case, the "Goleada" case, and a case concerning the removal of an electronic monitoring device – all of which have resulted in preventive detention orders. Trial dates for the device‑removal case are set for July 29‑30 and August 3‑4, after Alvarez requested a postponement that was granted by the court.