[REVISION HISTORY]

Legal and health crisis of Abdalá Bucaram

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-08 01:38 UTC → 2026-09-10 14:55 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Former Ecuadorian President Abdalá Bucaram is facing a serious health crisis involving cardiac complications, including heart failure and atrial fibrillation. His family reported that he required medical equipment and a cardiac device replacement, with his legal defense noting he needed 30 days of rest. Following the sixth failed attempt to hold a sentencing hearing, an Ecuadorian court has ordered Bucaram’s arrest. The proceedings, which date back to 2020, involve allegations of organized crime concerning the irregular commercialization of approximately 21,000 COVID-19 detection tests and other medical supplies during the pandemic. Bucaram is being prosecuted alongside his son, Jacobo Bucaram, and several other individuals, including Sheinman Oren and Leandro Berrones. Bucaram, 74, is currently in intensive care at the Clínica Borja in Guayaquil following recent cardiac surgery. Because of his condition, judges have instructed the National Police to maintain permanent surveillance at his hospital and to execute his arrest immediately upon his medical discharge. In response to the arrest order, Bucaram’s wife, María Rosa Pulley Vergara, filed a habeas corpus petition with the Guayas Provincial Court of Justice, arguing that his delicate cardiovascular condition makes any transfer or detention a risk to his life. However, the Guayas Provincial Court of Justice has unanimously rejected the petition. Judges ruled that the arrest warrant does not pose an imminent threat to Bucaram’s life, health, or personal integrity, clarifying that the measure is intended to ensure his appearance before the justice system rather than to interrupt his medical treatment. The defense continues to allege that the presence of police at the clinic constitutes a form of pressure. On September 7, 2026, an Ecuadorian court sentenced Abdalá Bucaram and his son, Jacobo Bucaram, to nine years and four months in prison.

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