They briefly retain Danilo Carrera, brother-in-law of Guillermo Lasso

( Spanish) — The Ecuadorian Police detained Danilo Carrera, brother-in-law of Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso, at the Guayaquil airport on Tuesday night, police told .

In a brief message, he indicated that he was retained to testify at the Prosecutor’s Office and was later released.

The Ecuadorian Attorney General’s Office reported this Wednesday on Twitter that it had requested the retention of Carrera upon learning that he wanted to leave the country.

The judicial institution also reported that the president’s brother-in-law would testify about the “Encuentro Case”, in which the existence of an alleged criminal structure for the granting of public positions and contracts in exchange for money in state companies is being investigated.

contacted Carrera’s attorney and is awaiting a response.

The investigations into the “Encuentro Case” began in January and were kept secret.

President Lasso has already rejected the existence of a structure or network of corruption in his Government. However, the head of state asked the Prosecutor’s Office in March to investigate his brother-in-law Danilo Carrera for his business and personal relationship with Rubén Cherres, linked to the “Encuentro Case”, arguing that the president “does not overlap with nobody”.

Cherres, a fugitive from justice in this case, was found dead with signs of violence along with three other people on March 31 in a house in Punta Blanca, Santa Elena province.

Carrera’s defense, in a letter sent to the media on January 9, denied that he is considered the leader of a corruption structure in public companies and denied having taken steps to obtain illegitimate benefits for himself or for third parties.

Ana María Cañizares contributed to this report