Judicial system needs ‘top-to-bottom’ evaluation and reform; New energy minister is named; Glas asks for prison release, cites rats and suicide attempts

With 53 of its members arrested or dismissed this year, Ecuador’s judicial system desperately needs to rebuild public trust, says Judicial Council member Narda Solanda. “Our entire court system is at a critical point,” she says. “People have lost faith in our ability to fairly apply the law as a result of the corruption and incompetence that has been revealed in recent months.”

Revising the selection process for new judges is the first step in rebuilding trust and competency, says Solanda. “The new psychological tests we are administering will help us weed out applicants that have personality traits that could interfere with their ability to apply the law objectively. We must test not only those applying to be judges, but prosecutors, public defenders and other officers of the court.”

Former vice president Jorge Glas

The tests are based on international standards, she says, and are administered by psychologists to detect characteristics such as homophobia, racism, misogyny, histrionics and narcissism.

In addition to improving evaluation of new applicants, Solanda says a thorough review of current judges and judicial officers should be carried out. “For years, the system has suffered from an inadequate and uneven evaluation process,” she says. “The process has been politicized and has become subject to cronyism, leading to corruption and the perception of corruption. We need a top to bottom evaluation of the entire system.”

New energy minister named
Antonio Gonçalves has been appointed Minister of Energy and Mines, replacing Roberto Luque, who has held the post on an interim basis since March. The presidential office said that Luque will resume his duties as Transportation Minister.

Gonçalves is an economist with dual Ecuadorian and Portuguese citizenship who spent most of his professional career in international banking. Most recently, he was assistant director of the Inter-American Development Bank.

Gonçalves’ appointment comes two and a half months after the resignation of former energy minister Andrea Arrobo who resigned as Ecuador faced a series of electric blackouts that have continued into early June. Arrobo was accused by President Daniel Noboa and others of neglecting deteriorating conditions in the national electricity generation network.

Following his appointment, Gonçalves said his immediate focus is the implementation of policies and projects to “ensure the sustainability and efficiency of Ecuador’s energy sector.”

Glas asks for prison release, cites rats and suicide attempt
Attorneys for former vice president Jorge Glas are asking that their client be released from prison due to a rat infestation of his cell at La Roca prison in Guayaquil. They also claim that Glas has attempted suicide on “multiple occasions” due to conditions at the prison.

In the habeas corpus filing, his attorneys claim Glas is at “imminent risk of death” as a result of “inhumane prison conditions” and should be released immediately. In a voice message transmitted through Zoom, the former vice president claimed that rats often climb on his bed at night and that he has sustained several bits as a result. He added that the floor of his cell is “covered in rat feces.”

He also said that health conditions he suffers from are being ignored by prison officials. “I am surprised I am still alive considering the conditions of my confinement,” he said. “I was recently hospitalized after I took 60 pills in an attempt to end my life.”

Glas said he is very weak and continues the hunger strike he began in April following his capture.