Prosecutor Leonardo Alarcón indicated that the involvement of the Vice President was determined based on the complainant’s version and telephone information.

The Nene case, which is being investigated for alleged influence peddling in the Vice Presidency of the Republic and involves the son of Vice President Verónica Abad, has been transferred to the National Court Jurisdiction Unit, reported the State Attorney General’s Office on Monday, June 10th.

According to the Public Ministry, there are elements that link the Vice President to this case, suggesting that there were direct orders from her in the irregular activities under investigation. Prosecutor Leonardo Alarcón, from the Transparency and Fight Against Corruption Unit of the Prosecutor’s Office, stated that Abad’s involvement was determined based on the complainant’s testimony and telephone information.

“Since the Vice President is subject to the jurisdiction of the National Court, in accordance with Article 184, Paragraph 3, of the Constitution and Article 192 of the Organic Code of the Judicial Function, I will proceed to recuse myself from continuing to handle the case and transfer it to the National Court Jurisdiction Unit so that due process can continue,” explained Alarcón.

On May 23, 2024, the Prosecutor’s Office requested new proceedings within the investigation of the case. One of the actions was to summon the Vice President to give her statement, voluntarily and without oath, on May 28, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Additionally, her lawyer was to be authorized to defend her interests.

In this case, Abad did not provide her testimony on May 28th, and it was learned that the State Attorney General’s Office had been asked to specify under what capacity her testimony was requested.

Nene case

The case is part of an investigation into an alleged attempt to offer influence peddling involving Francisco Sebastián B. A., the son of the Vice President. An audio recording reportedly confirms the complainant Rommel P.’s statement to the Prosecutor’s Office that he was asked for money in exchange for a public position. The court case was named ‘Nene.’

In the judicialized audio, Sebastián B. and Rommel P. discuss agreed payments that were to be made before the carnival holiday, during December and January. Rommel P. received a salary of $2,800, with a deduction of $375 for IESS contributions, but he had to give $2,600 to Sebastián B., leaving him with $200. They agreed that Rommel P. would take $500 to cover expenses and discussed how a position in Israel was not possible because it required a third-level degree.

The audio is pending further judicial review in this case, which directly implicates the son of Vice President Verónica Abad.

Francisco Sebastián B. A. was arrested on March 22, 2024, at his law firm in the historic center of Cuenca. In that city, the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office conducted another raid, as they did in Quito, all under the case named Nene.

The next day, he was sent to La Roca, as he was ordered to preventive detention after Prosecutor Leonardo Alarcón, of the Transparency and Fight Against Corruption Unit, charged him as the alleged direct perpetrator of the crime of offering influence peddling.

On May 7th, Sebastián B. A. was released from La Roca maximum security prison after posting $20,000 bail by order of the Penitentiary Guarantees Judge of Guayaquil, María Fernanda Castro Angos, who issued the release order.