Ecuador raids leftist politicians' homes over alleged Venezuela campaign funds

Ecuador's prosecutor's office raided homes of politicians from former President Rafael Correa's leftist party on Wednesday, investigating alleged illicit money from Venezuela used to finance the 2023 presidential campaign.

The raids targeted presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez and other members of the Citizens' Revolution party as part of a probe into alleged organized crime and money laundering, the prosecutor's office said.

KEY CONTEXT

• Prosecutors allege cash from Venezuela was used to finance the campaign, without providing further details.

• President Daniel Noboa recently said money linked to ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro entered Ecuador through local party campaign financing. The Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Maduro was captured in Venezuela this month in a U.S. military raid and faces federal drug trafficking charges.

• "Citizens' Revolution and Luisa Gonzalez have not received a single cent from Venezuela, from any cartel, or from anyone," Gonzalez told reporters, calling it political persecution.

• Gonzalez said her party submitted campaign expenses to electoral authorities and accused the prosecutor's office of lacking evidence.