Judge orders Glas to remain in the country until his corruption case is settled

National Court Judge Miguel Jurado ordered Vice President Jorge Glas to remain in the country during his trial on 10 counts of illicit association in his handling of government contracts with the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Jurado agreed with Ecuador Attorney General Carlos Baca at a Tuesday hearing that Glas posed a flight risk.

Judge Miguel Jurado behind boxes of evidence.

In his presentation to the court, Baca pointed out that several former government officials, including three cabinet ministers of the Rafael Correa administration, have fled the country after they were indicted.

Glas’ attorney Eduardo Loor called the decision “insulting” and said his client had no intention of avoiding justice. “He is an innocent man with nothing to hide,” Loor said. “Why would he run away?”

Glas did not attend the hearing.

In addition to the Glas ruling, the judge ordered pre-trial detention of four Odebrecht bribery suspects and house arrest for Ramiro Carrillo, ex-president of Petroecuador, and former federal comptroller Carlos Pólit. Pólit is one of the suspects still at large, believed living in Miami.