Juan Esteban Guarderas held under police custody during Pujilí embezzlement trial

Juan Esteban Guarderas, a former member of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS), was placed under police custody on October 17, 2026, while testifying in the ‘Ornato Municipal’ case. The incident occurred during a trial involving the former mayor of Pujilí, José Arroyo, who is accused of embezzlement (peculado) related to irregular public works contracts.

The custody was triggered by a request from Arroyo’s defense team, who alleged inconsistencies in Guarderas’s testimony and asked the court to verify if his statements constituted perjury. Guarderas clarified via a statement that he was not being formally detained, was not in flagrante delicto, and had not been charged with a crime.

Judges ultimately dismissed the allegations of perjury and ordered his immediate release. The trial, which involves 17 defendants, continues as the prosecution presents testimonial evidence regarding the alleged misuse of municipal funds.