Moreno tells Glas: It’s time to get to work

For the first time, President Lenin Moreno is expressing public frustration at the amount of time Vice President Jorge Glas spends defending himself against corruption charges. With Glas at his side during a Friday cabinet meeting, Moreno said it was time for Glas to concentrate on the the job he was elected to do.

Vice President Jorge Glas

“A vice president shouldn’t spend all his time on personal matters when he has other work to do,” Moreno said. “I ask you to stop going to the media with this business and let the investigation proceed through proper channels. This is something for the National Assembly legislative board and the Constitutional Court to decide.”

In recent weeks, Glas has given several of television and newspaper interviews defending himself against corruption charges associated with the Petroecuador and Odebrecht scandals. Although allegations against Glas have not been proven, his uncle, Ricardo Rivera, is currently under house arrest in Guayaquil on charges of accepting millions of dollars in bribes.

Moreno said he would continue to remain neutral in the investigation. “A president has the responsibility to be independent in these matters and to allow the democratic process to work.”

Responding to Moreno, Glas agreed that the process should be allowed to resolve the issue. “I hope we reach a resolution very soon,” he said.

During the cabinet meeting, held in Coca, in Orellano Province, Moreno said his government is gathering information about the state of the national economy. “I hope to report soon to the people on the economic challenges that Ecuador faces,” Moreno. “We are conducting a careful, objective review of the books that will not be influenced by ideology.”