Johana Núñez faces illicit enrichment charges in Ecuador

The Attorney General's Office of Ecuador has filed charges against Johana Núñez García, the prefect of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, for alleged illicit enrichment. During a hearing held on September 2, 2026, in Quito, prosecutors requested preventive detention to ensure her appearance during the criminal proceedings.

Prosecutors presented evidence including the prefect's asset declarations, citing a purported variation in her wealth during her time in office. The judge suspended the hearing to deliberate on the requested precautionary measures, and a decision regarding preventive detention has not yet been issued.

Three other individuals—Wilmer David Rivas Ontaneda, Fabián Alexander Rivas Calderón, and Gabriel Antonio Rivas Núñez—are also under investigation but were not processed during this specific hearing due to electoral immunity as candidates for the upcoming November 2026 elections. Núñez, who has held the position since 2019 and was re-elected in 2023, has denied the allegations, describing them as “calumnia” (slander).