Ecuadorian Opposition Leader Luisa Gonzalez Arrested in Campaign Finance Probe

Luisa Gonzalez, a former presidential candidate, was arrested on October 22, 2026. The prominent left-wing politician and ally of former President Rafael Correa was reportedly detained in Canuto, a rural town in western Ecuador, as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the financing of her 2023 presidential campaign. Gonzalez had previously lost presidential elections to the current right-wing President Daniel Noboa in both 2023 and 2025.

Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office stated on social media that arrest warrants had been executed for three individuals suspected of money laundering. In total, seven people are under investigation concerning “inconsistencies in the contributions and the lawful source of the funds” during the 2023 presidential campaign. Investigators are scrutinizing the use of a network of entities to channel approximately $500,000 for campaign advertising between May and August 2023. The attorney general’s office alleges that these funds may have been transferred improperly, without disclosure of their sources or the identities of the contributors.

This investigation, known as the Laberinto case, follows a prior probe into alleged irregular campaign financing, including claims that money from Venezuela was used to fund Gonzalez’s 2023 presidential bid. Gonzalez has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the accusations as “absurd” on the social media platform X and likening her situation to that of a political prisoner. She urged her supporters to unite for democracy against what she termed the “Noboa dictatorship,” vowing to respond with the dignity of Ecuadorians committed to freedom and a better future for the country.

Gabriela Rivadeneira, president of the Citizen Revolution Movement, to which Gonzalez belongs, also condemned the arrest as political persecution and demanded Gonzalez’s immediate release. Former President Rafael Correa echoed these sentiments, rejecting the allegations and labeling the case as persecution. “Luisa Gonzalez has been arrested. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!” Correa posted on X.

Gonzalez, a lawyer and former member of Ecuador’s National Assembly, was involved in a contentious presidential race against Noboa. They faced each other in a run-off in April 2025, where Noboa secured over 55 percent of the vote. Gonzalez had contested the results, alleging fraud and calling for a recount. Noboa’s government, in turn, accused her political movement of conspiring with criminal groups to plan attacks against the leader. Noboa, an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has intensified his crackdown on the opposition since his re-election. In March, the Citizen Revolution Movement was suspended from participating in the upcoming local elections scheduled for November 29.