Ecuador opposition leader Luisa Gonzalez arrested in campaign finance probe

Gonzalez’s Citizen Revolution Movement has denounced the arrest as politically motivated, calling for her release.

Former presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez was arrested on October 22, 2026 [File: Rodrigo Buendia/AFP]

Ecuadorian 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.

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She 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.

冈萨雷斯的公民革命运动谴责此次逮捕是出于政治动机，并呼吁释放她。

前总统候选人路易莎·冈萨雷斯于2026年10月22日被捕。[图片：Rodrigo Buendia/法新社]

厄瓜多尔反对派领导人路易莎·冈萨雷斯因涉嫌在2023年总统竞选资金方面存在违规行为而被捕。

当地媒体周四报道称，著名左翼政治家、前总统拉斐尔·科雷亚的盟友冈萨雷斯在厄瓜多尔西部农村小镇卡努托被拘留。

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她在 2023 年和 2025 年的总统选举中均败给了右翼总统丹尼尔·诺博亚。

厄瓜多尔总检察长办公室在社交媒体上发表声明称，已对三名涉嫌洗钱的人员执行了逮捕令。

2023 年总统竞选期间，有 7 人因“捐款和资金合法来源存在不一致”而受到调查。

调查人员正在调查是否利用一个实体网络，在 2023 年 5 月至 8 月期间，向竞选广告输送了约 50 万美元。

总检察长办公室指控这笔资金可能被不当转移，没有披露资金来源或捐款人身份。

这项被称为“拉贝林托案”的调查，是在此前一项针对涉嫌违规竞选资金的调查之后展开的。当局此前曾调查过有关从委内瑞拉流入的资金被用于资助冈萨雷斯2023年总统竞选的指控。冈萨雷斯否认有任何不当行为。

冈萨雷斯在社交媒体平台 X 上发帖称这些指控“荒谬”，并将自己的处境比作政治犯。

她还呼吁支持者们团结起来，共同争取民主，对抗“诺博亚独裁统治”。

“我将以厄瓜多尔人的尊严来回应，我们不欠任何人任何东西，我们致力于为厄瓜多尔争取自由，为国家创造更美好的未来，”她在谈到自己被捕时写道。

公民革命运动主席加布里埃拉·里瓦德内拉（冈萨雷斯是该运动的成员）也谴责此次逮捕是政治迫害，并要求立即释放冈萨雷斯。

科雷亚曾于 2007 年至 2017 年担任总统，他也否认了这些指控，称此案是迫害。

“路易莎·冈萨雷斯被捕了。够了！！！！！”科雷亚在X上写道。

冈萨雷斯是一名律师，也是厄瓜多尔国民议会的前议员。他与诺沃亚展开了一场异常激烈的总统竞选。两位候选人在2025年4月进行了第二轮投票，最终诺沃亚以超过55%的得票率获胜。

但冈萨雷斯拒绝接受选举结果，称其存在舞弊，并要求重新计票。与此同时，诺沃亚政府指责她的政治运动与犯罪集团勾结，策划袭击这位右翼领导人。

诺博亚是美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的亲密盟友，自去年赢得连任以来，他一直在镇压反对派。

今年3月，公民革命运动被暂停参加即将举行的当地选举。当地选举定于11月29日举行。