Ecuador opposition leader Luisa Gonzalez arrested in campaign finance probe

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkFormer presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez was arrested on October 22, 2026 [File: Rodrigo Buendia/AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff and ReutersPublished On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026Ecuadorian opposition leader Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the financing of her 2023 presidential campaign.Local media reported on Thursday that Gonzalez, a prominent left-wing politician and ally of former President Rafael Correa, was detained in Canuto, a rural town in western Ecuador.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘Handcuffed and blindfolded’: Is the US targeting Ecuadorian fishermen?list 2 of 3Trump rallies Latin American allies against drug cartelslist 3 of 3Why are Latin American countries building closer ties with Israel?end of listShe lost presidential elections to right-wing President Daniel Noboa in both 2023 and 2025.In a statement on social media, Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office said it had executed arrest warrants against three people suspected of money laundering.Seven people are under investigation over “inconsistencies in the contributions and the lawful source of the funds” during the 2023 presidential campaign.Investigators are examining the use of a network of entities to channel approximately $500,000 for campaign advertising between May and August 2023.The attorney general’s office has alleged that the money may have been transferred improperly, without disclosing the sources of the money or the identities of contributors.The investigation, known as the Laberinto case, follows an earlier probe into alleged irregular campaign financing. Authorities have previously investigated claims that money brought from Venezuela was used to finance Gonzalez’s 2023 presidential bid. Gonzalez has denied wrongdoing. Gonzalez described the accusations as “absurd” in a post on the social media platform X, comparing her situation to that of a political prisoner.She also called on her supporters to unite in pursuit of democracy in the face of the “Noboa dictatorship”.“I will respond with the dignity of Ecuadorians who owe nothing and who are committed to achieving freedom for Ecuador and a better future for the country,” she wrote of her arrest.Gabriela Rivadeneira — the president of the Citizen Revolution Movement, of which Gonzalez is a member — also denounced the arrest as political persecution. She demanded Gonzalez’s immediate release.Correa, who served as president from 2007 to 2017, also rejected the allegations, calling the case persecution.“Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!” Correa wrote on X.Gonzalez, a lawyer and former member of Ecuador’s National Assembly, fought a notably acrimonious presidential race against Noboa. The two candidates faced each other in a run-off race in April 2025, resulting in Noboa winning with more than 55 percent of the vote.But Gonzalez rejected the results as fraudulent and demanded a recount. Noboa’s government, meanwhile, accused her political movement of conspiring with criminal groups to plot attacks against the right-wing leader.Noboa, a close ally of United States President Donald Trump, has cracked down on the opposition since winning re-election last year.In March, the Citizen Revolution Movement was suspended from participating in upcoming local elections. The local elections are scheduled for November 29.