WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed a visa ban on former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, his vice president and their immediate families over corruption charges.
The State Department announced that Correa and his former deputy Jorge Glas would no longer be eligible to enter the United States. The ban also applies to their spouses and children.
Correa served as president of Ecuador from 2007 to 2017, taking political positions that often conflicted with U.S. policy and most notably opening Ecuador’s embassy in London to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange while continuing to be banned by the United States sought.
Correa was convicted in absentia of corruption in Ecuador in 2020 and sentenced to eight years in prison. Since 2017 he has been living in exile in Belgium.
“Correa and Glas abused their positions as former President of Ecuador and former Vice President of Ecuador, respectively, by accepting bribes, including through political contributions, in exchange for granting favorable government contracts,” said Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The United States stands with Ecuadorians, including civil society members, law enforcement officials and investigative journalists, who are committed to increasing government transparency and holding corrupt government officials accountable,” Miller said in a statement.
