María de los angeles Duarte: Who is the minister who escaped from the Argentine embassy in Ecuador and what was he convicted of | corruption | Alberto Fernandez | Guillermo Lasso | Rafael Correa | the world

But who? Maria de Los Angeles Duarte? The 60-year-old architect from Guayaquil is married to an Argentine citizen. He belongs to the party of the former President of Ecuador. Rafael CorreaCitizen Revolution, formerly Alianza Buys.

Meera: Ecuador summons its ambassador to Argentina for advice after ex-convicted minister flees

Tourte He studied architecture at the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil.

During the government of Rafael Correa between 2007 and 2017, María de los Angeles Duarte was in charge of several ministries.

Firstly, between June 2009 and April 2010, he was Minister of Economy and Social Inclusion. Then, from April 2010 to November 2013, it Minister of Transport and Public Works. when Between February 2015 and January 2017, he worked Minister of Urban Development and Housing.

In April 2020, Maria de Los Angeles Duarte She was sentenced to eight years in prison for bribery, which is not recommended in Ecuador.

He is accused of being part of an organization that investigators say took about $7.3 million in bribes from public works contractors.

Together with Maria de los Angeles Duarte

Former Vice President Jorge Claus, former Legal Secretary to the President Alexis Mera, and former legislators Viviana Bonilla and Cristian Viteri, Alianza País, today the Revolución Ciudadana, were sentenced.

He has always claimed to be a victim of political persecution.

Asylum, flight and diplomatic crisis

After his conviction, in August 2020 Tourte Entered the Argentine embassy in Quito with a young son. He was classified as a “guest” until he was granted diplomatic asylum in December 2022.

After sheltering him, Argentina He said he hoped to get it from the government Ecuador And A safe path So that the ex-minister can go to the airport and leave the country. But that did not happen and she stayed at the Messenger’s house.

A diplomatic crisis erupted between Quito and Buenos Aires on Monday Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said María Ángeles Duarte is no longer at the Argentine ambassador’s residence. and that he left voluntarily. Later, he apparently left the headquarters on Friday.

“Mrs. Duarte Pesantes reported that she was currently in Caracas – without providing an explanation as to how she did it, or if she was with her son – and inquired about the documents our country could extend to her. She also said that she had no intention of traveling to Argentina in the short term.Refers to the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina.

One of the theories that the police is dealing with is Ecuador The former minister left the house in a diplomatic vehicle, Fausto Olivo, director of the intelligence department, told the Ecuavisa channel on Wednesday.

Duarte reappeared on Tuesday to confirm he was at the Argentine embassy in Caracas.Sharpens the diplomatic crisis.

Ecuador He assured that there was no record of his departure in the migrations Tourte Argentina asked for access to the country’s and diplomatic headquarters’ security cameras, which was denied.

After that the President’s Government Guillermo Lazo Declared ambassador non-persona grata to Argentina Gabriel Fuchs and asked him to leave the country, while Buenos Aires responded with a request for Ecuador’s diplomat Xavier Monge Leave that country.

“We are very sorry to have reached this point, but the inconsistencies in some of the information regarding the situation of Mrs. Maria de los Angeles Duarte have led us to take this decision”Ecuador’s foreign minister told reporters Juan Carlos Holguin.

Now, the relations between the two countries are at the level of officials.

She says she was harassed

Duarte posted a message on his Twitter account in which he thanked Argentina “for sheltering him from the persecution of the governments of Lenin Moreno and Guillermo Lazo.”

“I decided to leave the embassy because, according to the Caracas Convention of 1954, the government of Ecuador had taken me as a political hostage by denying me the safe conduct due to me as a political refugee and preventing my safe evacuation (safe conduct).” wrote

“I had to leave in danger, but I exercised the right that helped me”he added.

What will happen now? Juan Francisco Camino, an international researcher and professor at the Universidad Hemisferios, told the AP that the ex-minister’s defection reveals major flaws in the Ecuadorian state and a lack of cooperation from the Argentine government. “I don’t think this will lead to a breakdown in relations,” the lawsuit said.