Reuters reported Thursday that Citizens’ Revolution leader Gabriela Rivadeneira confirmed former presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez’s arrest as Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office investigates alleged irregularities in 2023 campaign financing.
In a social media video, the office said the advertising funds were used between May and August 2023. It said legal entities had channeled about $500,000 to contract and purchase campaign advertising, without disclosing the funds’ source or the contributors’ identities.
The inquiry concerns alleged inconsistencies in campaign contributions and whether the funds came from lawful sources, the office said. Seven people are under investigation. Three have been arrested and will face charges related to alleged money laundering, but the office withheld their full names.
Rivadeneira called the arrest politically motivated and demanded Gonzalez’s release. She said the campaign’s finances had been accounted for and that penalties previously imposed by the electoral authority had been paid. Gonzalez called the accusation “absurd” in an X post and urged party members to unite.
Former President Rafael Correa, who backed Gonzalez’s candidacy, also disputed the allegations and characterized the case as political persecution during a local radio program.
President Daniel Noboa defeated Gonzalez in both the 2023 and 2025 presidential elections. She alleged fraud after the 2025 result. Gonzalez sought to register for local elections scheduled for Nov. 29, but party registration rules prevented her from doing so.
