Two judges who facilitated Alex Saab’s business in Ecuador are investigated for being part of an organized crime network

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Former judges Fabiola Gallardo and Johan Mafertán, along with 10 other defendants, have been arrested and are being investigated for organized crime in Ecuador. The operations of the Purga case, which aim to reveal the connections between drug trafficking, politics, and justice in the country, have led to these arrests.

Gallardo and Mafertán, who previously served as judges of the Court of Guayas, are also linked to the Metastasis case, where a criminal structure interfered with justice and was led by a drug trafficker named Leandro Norero. Additionally, they are accused of favoring criminals while serving as judges and dismissing partners of Álex Saab, a controversial businessman.

Fabiola Gallardo, who was the president of the Court of Guayas until recently, is now facing scrutiny over her past actions. Fernando Villavicencio, a politician, journalist, and trade unionist who was murdered in 2023, had previously raised concerns about Gallardo’s background and connections to organized crime.

Villavicencio’s investigations revealed a network involving former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, dictator Nicolás Maduro, former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, and Álex Saab. The case of Saab and his partners, who were involved in fraudulent activities related to a construction company, was at the center of these investigations.

The Prosecutor’s Office in Ecuador has uncovered illegal practices involving the fraudulent transfer of funds between Ecuador and Venezuela through the Sucre clearing system. The investigations revealed discrepancies in reported exports and actual income, leading to suspicions of money laundering and fraud.

Despite the efforts of the authorities in Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico to bring Saab and his partners to justice, they have managed to evade sentences in multiple judicial systems. In Ecuador, Fabiola Gallardo, Johan Marfetán, and former legislator Pablo Muentes have been implicated in a corruption network that bought sentences and benefited judicially.

The ongoing investigations and arrests in Ecuador shed light on the deep-rooted connections between drug trafficking, politics, and justice in the country. The case continues to unfold, revealing the extent of corruption and organized crime within the judicial system.