Testimonies reveled Odebrecht paid bribes to Pólit, Glas and Correa advisor.

The trial against Carlos Pólit Faggioni, the former Comptroller General of Ecuador, unfolding in Miami, has cast a revealing spotlight on the murky relationships that construction conglomerate Odebrecht maintained with high-ranking officials of Rafael Correa’s administration. The proceedings, which began last Monday, have already brought to light significant accusations over corrupt dealings.

The first week of the trial featured compelling testimonies from five of the 19 scheduled witnesses. Notably, it was corroborated that former Vice President Jorge Glas was involved in receiving bribes from the Brazilian company, a fact for which he has already been sentenced. A notable revelation was the identification of a new conduit for these bribes involving a Spanish company. Additionally, details emerged about the secretive alias used within Odebrecht’s bribery network to refer to Alexis Mera Giler, the former legal secretary of the Presidency.

Ties to Correístas

Further revelations implicated the former political party of Correismo, Alianza PAIS, showing that Odebrecht also financed its electoral campaigns. A particularly telling testimony came from one witness who admitted to having previously lied to the Ecuadorian judiciary in a bribery case. This individual reaffirmed his role in delivering an envelope stuffed with money to Pamela Martínez, an advisor to then-President Correa at the time.

Regarding the defendant, Carlos Pólit, new evidence was presented that suggested he received significantly inflated bribes. These allegations also involved his son, John Pólit, painting a picture of a family deeply entangled in corrupt practices. Descriptions of how these bribes were managed included staggering amounts of cash, some of which were reportedly delivered in suitcases.

The U.S. Department of Justice has levied six criminal charges against Pólit related to alleged money laundering activities connected to the Odebrecht scandal and the Seguros Sucre case. If convicted on all counts, Pólit could face up to 100 years in prison.

Key testimonies this week came from former Odebrecht executives José Conceiçao Santos, Geraldo de Souza, and Olivio Rodrigues, as well as Ecuadorian Police officer Jaime Vega Castillo. The statement from Ecuadorian businessman Mauricio Neme Macchiavello was also partially heard, indicating the depth of the investigation still to unfold.

Five Principal Revelations from the Trial:

1. Link Through Cossmac: A bank transaction record implicated Cosmmac Media Mercado SL as a link in the chain of bribes directed to Jorge Glas, with a specific payment of $240,000 traced back to July 2010.
2. Alias ‘Merenda’ for Alexis Mera: The pseudonym ‘Merenda’ was used to identify Alexis Mera in Odebrecht’s confidential payment logs, as revealed by testimony from Geraldo de Souza.
3. Pamela Martínez’s Role Clarified: Geraldo de Souza also admitted to deceiving the Ecuadorian judicial system about an envelope full of money given to Pamela Martínez-Rafeal Corea’s advisor-which he initially claimed to be unaware of its contents.
4. Handling Large Cash Amounts: The trial disclosed instances of large cash transactions, including one where $6 million was allegedly handed over to Carlos Pólit to facilitate the removal of fines against Odebrecht.
5. Continued Bribes for Additional Projects: Both Conceição and De Souza testified about continued bribe payments linked to new contracts awarded to Odebrecht during Correa’s administration, with amounts reportedly reaching up to an additional $10 million.

As the trial progresses, the intricacies of these corrupt networks continue to unfold, with 14 more witnesses expected to testify. The court awaits further disclosures that could potentially provide a clearer understanding of the depth and breadth of corruption within the previous Ecuadorian government. The ultimate judgment will rest with the jury, tasked with navigating through the complex web of allegations and evidence presented.