Quito, Monday, March 4, 2024. Arrival at the Pichincha Flagrant Unit of those detained in the Purge case, related to the Metastasis case, by the Prosecutor’s Office. Photos: Rolando Enríquez/API
The State Attorney General’s Office has accused the former Christian Social assemblyman Pablo Muenteswho has been captured along with his wife, Monica Alvarado Bardiin the early hours of this Monday, March 4, of manipulating judges of the Court of Guayaquil to obtain the payment of four million dollars from the Banco del Pacífico, as a result of a “habeas data” filed against said institution.
In a series of pictures posted by the Prosecutor’s Office in X, Muentes is accused of justifying the payment of loans received by that bank in 1989 and 1999 “using false and adulterated payment documents.”
Muentes, who came to the National Assembly as a substitute for legislator Soledad Diab de Bohrer, and who became the main character after her resignation, played an important role in the Oversight Commission, against its president, Fernando Villavicenciowho came to report to the Prosecutor’s Office that Muentes was supposedly plotting to murder him by hiring hitmen.
The Prosecutor’s Office also accuses Muentes of “intervening in judicial decisions” so that his cousin, Fausto Alarcón Gómez, appropriates land in Durán, valued at US$200,000, without judicial support to legitimize its purchase.
Fabiola Gallardo
He adds that “using the political power he held, Muentes would have managed” to file four administrative summaries against the former president of the Court of Justice of Guayas, Fabiola Gallardo Ramiawith the collaboration of the provincial director of the Judicial Council in Guayas, Mercedes Villarreal Veraand his assistant, Saúl Mero Zambrano.
Both Judge Fabiola Gallardo, Mercedes Villarreal and Saúl Mero were also captured early Monday morning.
The Prosecutor’s Office describes Gallardo as “one of the leaders of the criminal organization”.