Ecuador Arrests Former Presidential Candidate Luisa González in Money-Laundering Probe

• by Shimanta Das
• October 24, 2026

Ecuadorian authorities arrested former leftist presidential candidate Luisa González before dawn on October 22, 2026, in the rural town of Canuto, Manabí province, where she grew up. The arrest is part of a new money-laundering investigation dubbed Case Laberinto, according to the Fiscalía General del Estado and National Police. González, a two-time presidential candidate and close ally of former President Rafael Correa, was detained along with two others. Prosecutors are examining approximately $500,000 in campaign advertising funds and possible money laundering linked to her 2023 campaign. A judge subsequently ordered that she remain detained as the investigation proceeds.nnThe arrest stems from allegations of irregular campaign financing, including purported funding from Venezuela. González had been under investigation since January over these claims. She has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “absurd” and politically motivated. Her party, the Citizen Revolution Movement (RC), has rallied behind her. Gabriela Rivadeneira, president of RC, held a press conference at the party headquarters in Quito following the arrest, denouncing what she described as political persecution. The detention has heightened tensions in Ecuador’s polarized political landscape, where Correa’s allies and opponents remain locked in a long-standing feud.nnGonzález remains a leading figure in the Citizen Revolution Movement, a party aligned with Correa, who himself has faced legal troubles and lives in exile. The case against her is seen by supporters as part of a broader effort to marginalize the left ahead of future elections. Prosecutors, however, maintain that the investigation is based on concrete evidence of financial irregularities. The arrest took place without police specifying the exact reasons at the time, though the attorney general’s office later confirmed the money-laundering probe. The judge’s decision to keep her detained underscores the seriousness of the charges.nnThis development marks a significant escalation in the legal scrutiny of González, who has been a prominent voice in Ecuadorian politics. The international community is watching closely, as the case could impact the country’s political stability and its relations with neighboring countries. The RC party has vowed to challenge the detention legally and politically. As the investigation continues, González’s fate will likely shape