Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno and a former Chinese ambassador to Ecuador have petitioned the country’s highest court to overturn their recent convictions. Last week, a three-judge panel at the National Court of Justice sentenced both individuals to five years in prison for their roles in a bribery scheme valued at approximately US$76 million.

The legal proceedings stem from contracts awarded for the construction of the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, which is Ecuador’s largest power plant. The court found that Moreno, who served as vice president during the period in question, utilized his official position to facilitate the deal for a Chinese state-owned contractor. The panel of judges reached a unanimous verdict, concluding that the defendants were involved in a corrupt arrangement to secure the project.

Moreno and the former Chinese diplomat are now seeking to avoid incarceration by challenging the court's decision at the highest judicial level. The case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of high-ranking officials from both nations and the implications for the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese infrastructure program under which the dam was built. As the appeal process begins, the defense is expected to argue against the legitimacy of the evidence or the severity of the sentencing, while the prosecution maintains that the bribery conviction is supported by the facts presented during the trial.