Judge issues arrest warrant for Zamora after he fails to appear at a court hearing

A criminal court judge issued an arrest warrant Friday for Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora for failure to appear at a hearing. Zamora claimed he was delayed by a scheduling conflict and that when he later attempted to connect to the court via Zoon his internet connection failed.

Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora

Zamora is charged with libel in a case of alleged insults he directed at former municipal employee Rosa Torres.

In his arrest order, Judge Alfredo Serrano claimed Zamora showed “disrespect for the court and the legal process” since he was made aware of the hearing months ago. “Because he is an elected official does not excuse him from the responsibilities shared by all citizens,” Serrano said. “It is unfortunate that the mayor must be held in custody to ensure his appearance before the court.”

Zamora apologized to Serrano, saying his absence was due to circumstances beyond his control. As of late Friday, National Police said Zamora had not yet been arrested.

The libel case by Torres dates to late 2024. She was fired following a complaint against her regarding the medical care of a child at a city hospital. She claims Zamora insulted her at the time of the firing.