logo
Ecuador judge sends former vice-president Jorge Glas to trial

Ecuador judge sends former vice-president Jorge Glas to trial

Yahoo19-05-2025

QUITO (Reuters) -A judge in Ecuador on Monday ruled former vice president Jorge Glas will face trial for alleged misuse of public funds allocated to rebuild areas affected by a devastating 2016 earthquake.
Glas is currently in prison serving out convictions in two prior corruption cases.
The attorney general's office had asked that Glas and eight other ex-officials, some of whom are outside the country, face charges in the case.
Prosecutors accuse Glas, who led the reconstruction effort for Manabi and Esmeraldas provinces after the earthquake, of misdirecting funds for non-priority works.
Judge Marco Aguirre said during a public hearing that there were indications that Glas committed embezzlement by using funds intended for reconstruction for other projects that were not related to the reconstruction in Manabi.
The funds were raised through taxes, including an increase in VAT.
The prosecution also claims the funds were misused for the benefit of contractors and supervisors involved in the reconstruction.
Glas, who served as vice president under Rafael Correa from 2013 to 2017, was captured by Ecuadorean authorities following a raid on the Mexican embassy in Quito last year, which led to the severing of diplomatic ties between Ecuador and Mexico.
Glas' lawyer Sonia Vera said in a post on X that the ruling was a sign of "the use of criminal proceedings as a tool of political persecution, in open violation of due process."
She added that there was no evidence of misappropriation of public funds for personal benefit or that of third parties nor harm to the national treasury, both essential requirements to establish the crime of embezzlement.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

LA anti-ICE looters shatter Apple store and make off with iPhones, Adidas in another night of chaos
LA anti-ICE looters shatter Apple store and make off with iPhones, Adidas in another night of chaos

New York Post

time24 minutes ago

  • New York Post

LA anti-ICE looters shatter Apple store and make off with iPhones, Adidas in another night of chaos

Looters tore apart stores across Los Angeles as daytime protests against ICE-immigration raids descended into chaos overnight, yet again — and even a museum dedicated to Japanese-American immigrants was vandalized. Windows were smashed and merchandise was stolen at LA's Broadway Apple store Monday night, while down the block the Adidas store was broken into and robbed of sneakers by frenzied crowds. The windows of a nearby jewelry store were also smashed open and the shop's shelves were completely emptied by looters, while two marijuana dispensaries and a pharmacy were also raided, according to NBC 4. 4 A worker boards up an Adidas store after it was looted following days of protests against federal immigration sweeps and the deployment of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines, in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 10, 2025. REUTERS Footage from the chaos showed mobs masked and hooded hooligans pouring into the stores and grabbing armloads of whatever was in sight and then pouring back out onto the street spilling goods as they fled. Some ran right into the ranks of waiting cops, but many were able to muscle themselves free from the overwhelmed officers and escape. 'This is so ridiculous. This doesn't look like they're protesting for ICE or anything. Just looting the stores,' one fed up business owner who watched the overnight chaos unfold told News Nation. Across town in Little Tokyo, a sushi restaurant — Otoro Sushi — even had its doors ripped open by mobs, with troublemakers appearing to make off with a computer monitor and other equipment while onlookers yelled that they were 'Making us look bad.' 4 Products lie scattered in an Apple store after it was looted following days of protests against federal immigration sweeps and the deployment of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines, in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 10, 2025. REUTERS 4 People clean graffiti after days of protests against federal immigration sweeps and the deployment of the California National Guard and US Marines, outside the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 10, 2025. REUTERS The Japanese American National Museum was even targeted, with 'F**k ICE' and other graffiti spray-painted across windows, walls, and even over what appeared to be an outdoor exhibit about Japanese-American soldiers who fought in WWII as their families were locked away in internment camps. Volunteers flocked to the museum Tuesday morning with brushes and soap to help scrub away what vandalism they could, photos showed. And back on Broadway workers were seen laboring to sweep up and take stock of the damaged stores, while shattered windows and doors were boarded up. 4 Broken glass lies on the floor of a cannabis stores after it was looted following days of protests against federal immigration sweeps and the deployment of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines, in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 10, 2025. REUTERS At least 14 people were arrested for looting, according to police, while another 96 were arrested for failure to disperse. The protests were expected to continue for a fifth day and night Tuesday, as President Trump dispatched another round of National Guard troops — as well as Marines forces — to quell the chaos. Those deployments — which California's and LA's Democrat leaders say have done nothing but fuel the chaos in the city — is expected to cost at least $134 million, the Pentagon revealed Tuesday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said its likely the troops will remain in LA for about 60 days, telling a House budget hearing that the protestors were 'rioters, looters and thugs.' Chaos was sparked in the City of Angels Friday after ICE carried out numerous raids to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. Activists attempted to block the raids and later picketed a downtown detention center where some of the detainees were being held, before the demonstrations snowballed into all-out riots in some areas.

Factbox-Los Angeles, progressive beacon at center of anti-Trump backlash
Factbox-Los Angeles, progressive beacon at center of anti-Trump backlash

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Factbox-Los Angeles, progressive beacon at center of anti-Trump backlash

By Costas Pitas LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Protests in Los Angeles against raids on suspected undocumented immigrants have turned into the strongest domestic backlash against President Donald Trump since he took office in January. Here is how the Democratic-leaning city and state of California vary from Trump's Republicans and his support in the U.S. heartland. PARTY POLITICS Nationwide, Trump won around 2.5 million more votes than his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the November presidential election but in Los Angeles, Harris won by a margin of roughly two to one. Of the 50 U.S. states, California backed Harris by the fifth largest margin. California is also home to several top-level Democrats, including Harris herself, and long-time former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. Governor Gavin Newsom is a Democrat, as is the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass. Both have complained about Trump's tactics this week. The party raises millions in the state from wealthy donors and grassroots supporters, sometimes in a single day. DEMOGRAPHICS At 27.3%, California has the highest foreign-born population of any U.S. state, compared to 13.9% of the total U.S. population, according to a 2024 Census report. Nearly half of Angelenos are Hispanic or Latino and some 35% of the city's total population is foreign-born, according to the American Community Survey, with many cultural and business ties to Mexico, which is only about a two-hour drive south. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS Faced with persistently bad air quality, especially in cities with strong driving cultures such as Los Angeles, California has developed some of the strictest environmental regulations in the country, opposed by many Republicans. A landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 in California is in the crosshairs of a battle between its Democratic leadership and the Republican-run federal government, also because many other states replicate California's first-in-the-nation action. In May, the Republican-run Senate in Washington voted to ban the plan and it is now awaiting Trump's signature. He is expected to sign it this week, according to industry officials. HOLLYWOOD American movies and television are one of the most visible U.S. exports, emanating from an LA-based industry that had been hailed by liberals for boosting diversity but criticized by some conservatives for creating films that include LGBT stories. In May, Trump suggested a tariff on movies produced in foreign countries to protect a domestic industry that he said was "dying a very fast death." But when China retaliated by saying it would curb American film imports, he prompted laughter at a cabinet meeting by a response that signaled his derision for Hollywood: "I think I've heard of worse things."

Ramón Morales Reyes, framed for writing assassination letter, is released on bond
Ramón Morales Reyes, framed for writing assassination letter, is released on bond

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Ramón Morales Reyes, framed for writing assassination letter, is released on bond

Christine Neumann-Ortiz (left) stands with Anna Morales, daughter of Ramon Morales Reyes'. (Photo courtesy of Voces de la Frontera) Ramón Morales Reyes, a 54-year-old Mexican-born man living in Milwaukee who was framed for writing a letter threatening President Donald Trump, has been granted a $7,500 bond by an immigration judge. The news came early Tuesday morning, as immigrant rights advocates from Voces de la Frontera held a press conference to call on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to clear Morales Reyes' name, and issue a retraction of a press release denouncing him for threatening the president's life. Morales Reyes' daughter Anna joined Voces executive director Christine Neumann-Ortiz on the press call and became emotional at the news of her father's release. 'I'm so very grateful, thank you so much,' said Anna, who spoke during the virtual press conference but did not appear on camera. Since DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a press statement describing Morales Reyes as an 'illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump,' his family has received online harassment and death threats. 'I've always been my dad's little girl who grew up with a hardworking dad that always was making sure his family has food on the table, having a roof over our heads,' said Anna Morales. 'He loved to take us to the park every weekend and go for walks as a family.' She recalled cookouts with her dad, who worked as a dishwasher in Milwaukee for the last nine years. Morales lamented that her father is now facing the threat of deportation based on false accusations. 'He is not a criminal. He is a hardworking man, a provider, and most importantly a father who holds family together,' she said. 'Without my dad, me and my siblings wouldn't be where we are today — his sacrifice and his drive to give us a better life.' 'If he were taken from us, it wouldn't just be a financial loss, it would be an emotional one that we honestly don't know how to recover from,' she added. 'My siblings and I rely on him not just for the roof over our heads or food on the table, but for his presence, his advice, and the way he keeps our family united.' 'My dad is not a threat to anyone. He is a good man who got caught up in a terrible situation.' Despite the decision to release Morales Reyes, after the real author of the letter threatening Trump confessed that he had tried to frame Morales Reyes to prevent him from testifying against him in a criminal trial, the Department of Homeland Security has not removed a press release from its website accusing Morales Reyes of being the author of the letter. In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded to Morales Reyes' release on bond, saying, 'while this criminal illegal alien is no longer under investigation for threats against the President, he is in the country illegally with previous arrests for felony hit and run, criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct with domestic abuse. The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and fulfilling the President's mandate to deport illegal aliens. DHS will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of illegal aliens who have no right to be in this country.' In 1996, Morales Reyes was arrested for a hit and run and property damage, but was not charged. In another 1996 incident he was ticketed for disorderly conduct and criminal damage after a dispute with his wife in which no one was injured, NPR reported. 'It's a disgrace that we have a government that is promoting false information of a very serious nature against a man who is a victim of a crime, and has been falsely accused,' Neumann-Ortiz told Wisconsin Examiner. Morales Reyes' family does not feel safe, Neumann-Ortiz said. 'This just shows that this administration is not interested in safety. They're interested in this propaganda campaign to demonize immigrants, and to do with them whatever they will, to accuse them of anything and put them in jail and throw away the key.' Just before the bond hearing, attorney Cane Oulahan, who represented Morales Reyes during immigration proceedings, said that he was hoping for a 'just result, which would be for Ramón to get out on a fair bond and rejoin his family, so they can start to heal from all the trauma they've been through.' Oulahan thanked Anna Morales for her bravery in coming forward with a statement Tuesday morning. The attorney said that factors which the judge would consider, including danger to the community and flight risk, were low for Morales Reyes. 'I think it's clear that Ramón is not a dangerous person at all,' said Oulahan. 'It's been over 30 years since he's had any minor incidents, he's a responsible husband and father, hard worker, someone who contributes to our community.' Oulahan said that Morales Reyes had no reason to be considered a flight risk. 'He's got every interest in staying here,' said Oulahan. 'I mean, he's been here almost 40 years. He has family here, this is his home, and he's actively cooperating in a U-Visa investigation still, and so he has every reason to show up for his hearings.' A U-Visa is a form of immigration relief intended to encourage crime victims to cooperate with law enforcement investigations and court proceedings, while also providing a path to permanent residency. Neumann-Ortiz said in a statement that the bond decision was 'a meaningful victory not only for Ramón and his family but for our entire community.' The decision she added, 'reflects the courage and strength of community organizing, solidarity, and collective action. We thank all who stood with Ramón, and we urge continued support as the process ahead remains long and challenging. We also continue to demand that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fully clear Ramón's name and correct the false allegations against him.' Morales Reyes was the victim of an attempted armed robbery in September 2023. The man accused of the attempted robbery, Demetric Scott, told investigators that he penned a letter claiming to be Morales Reyes and threatening to use a large caliber rifle to assassinate Trump. Scott believed that the letter would result in Morales Reyes' deportation, and prevent him from testifying against Scott in court. Morales Reyes was born in a rural part of Mexico where he received very little formal education. He cannot speak English, and cannot read or write proficiently. The letter penned by Scott and later elevated by Noem's press release was neatly written in fluent English. CNN reported that after he was arrested by immigration agents, Morales Reyes was questioned by detectives from the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), who had already suspected that someone was setting him up to be deported. Scott claimed that he carried out the plan to get Morales Reyes deported on his own, without any assistance. He has now been charged with identity theft and felony witness intimidation. Because Scott admitted to forging the letter, Oulahan said that he didn't expect the letter to be relevant to the judge during Morales Reyes' bond hearing. A staff member for U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) read a letter from Moore during the virtual press conference. Morales Reyes lives in Moore's district and Moore visited him in the Dodge County Jail. Moore has issued a letter requesting DHS to retract the accusations against Morales Reyes and remove Noem's statement claiming that he threatened to assassinate Trump from the DHS website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store