Ex-Ecuador VP Jorge Glas Gets 13 More Years for Misusing Earthquake Funds

In a ruling that has reignited fierce political controversy and deepened diplomatic tensions in Latin America, an Ecuadorian court has sentenced former Vice President Jorge Glas to 13 additional years in prison for the embezzlement of public funds designated for post-earthquake reconstruction.

The court found Glas guilty of diverting money earmarked for rebuilding areas devastated by the 2016 earthquake in Ecuador’s Manabí and Esmeraldas provinces—an event that killed nearly 700 people and left thousands homeless. According to the court’s findings, some funds were used to construct infrastructure unrelated to the disaster, including a bridge in a remote area untouched by the quake.

Glas, 55, is already serving prison terms for two separate corruption convictions linked to his tenure as vice president under the administration of former President Rafael Correa. He had been due for release in just under three years. Monday’s ruling extends his incarceration until 2041, effectively sidelining one of Ecuador’s most controversial political figures for the foreseeable future.

The presiding judge said the court had opted for the “maximum penalty permitted by law,” citing the gravity of Glas’s offense and his role in misdirecting resources meant to aid citizens during a national emergency. Carlos Bernal, a former reconstruction official who served under Glas, received an identical 13-year sentence.

Fallout from Embassy Raid and International Backlash

The case has unfolded amid strained diplomatic relations between Ecuador and Mexico. Glas was captured during a dramatic police raid on the Mexican Embassy in Quito in April 2024, where he had taken refuge after a court ordered his re-arrest. The raid, captured on CCTV footage, sparked global outrage and led Mexico to sever diplomatic ties with Ecuador and file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Ecuador of violating the Vienna Convention by breaching embassy sovereignty.

Mexico argued that Glas had been granted political asylum, while Ecuador maintained the asylum was improperly granted and that Glas was a fugitive evading justice. The incident marked one of the lowest points in bilateral relations between the two historically friendly nations.

Following the sentencing, Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement reiterating its call for Ecuador to provide humanitarian protection for Glas. “Mexico reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the rights of asylum seekers, as enshrined in both our constitution and international law,” the ministry stated.

Glas Maintains Innocence, Supporters Cry Foul

Throughout the trial, Glas denied wrongdoing, claiming he had no control over the funds in question and never personally benefited from their misuse. “I never managed a single cent of the reconstruction budget,” he told the court. His defense attorney, Andrés Villegas, denounced the verdict, saying, “Today, the dignity of Ecuador’s justice system was buried.”

Supporters of Glas have labelled him a victim of political persecution. Sacha Llorenti, General Coordinator of the International Committee for the Freedom of Jorge Glas, described the court’s ruling as “outrageous and abhorrent,” arguing there was no material evidence linking Glas to embezzlement. Outside the courtroom, small groups of demonstrators waved Ecuadorian flags and banners demanding Glas’s release.

A Tarnished Political Legacy

Once a rising star in Ecuadorian politics and a close ally of former President Rafael Correa, Glas’s fall has been both swift and dramatic. In 2017, he was removed from office by Correa’s successor, Lenín Moreno, and later convicted for his role in facilitating bribes between government officials and the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. That scandal, which reverberated across Latin America, has been described as one of the largest transnational bribery schemes in history.

Glas’s legal troubles deepened in 2020 when he received an eight-year sentence for his involvement in another corruption network tied to the awarding of public contracts between 2012 and 2016.

Though released briefly in 2022 over security concerns, Glas was quickly re-detained after returning to the political spotlight. His arrest inside the Mexican Embassy became a flashpoint in the broader debate over the limits of diplomatic asylum and the reach of national justice systems.

As he faces the prospect of spending the next 16 years behind bars, Jorge Glas remains defiant. “I am a political prisoner,” he has repeatedly asserted. Whether his supporters can translate that message into a broader movement for justice—or whether it will fade into the growing annals of Latin American corruption scandals—remains to be seen.