Ecuador Issues Interpol Red Notice on Ex-Foreign Minister, Critic of Assange Arrest

Ecuador's Attorney General's office will make a request to Interpol for the capture of ex-foreign minister under former President Rafael Correa, Ricardo Patiño, a vocal critic of the current government under President Lenin Moreno. He had recently left the country but Ecuadorean officials want him captured and held under preventative detention based on the charge of 'instigation' or incitement.

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In an official comminque, a judge from the Attorney General's Office of Ecuador based in the town of Latacunga announced preventative detention for ex-Foreign Minister Ricard Patiño as well as announcing the country's intention to call for a red notice from Interpol. 

The head attorney in the Attorney General's office, Diana Salazar, has also announced that it will investigate the attorney Beatriz Benitez who days ago had ruled out preventative detention. 

Patiño has been very vocal in criticizing the government of the anti-leftist President Lenin Moreno, for the dubious legality surrounding his decision to strip Wikileaks founder Julian Assange of asylum and allowing his arrest by British police. Moreno has also been under fire for his alleged corruption related to the INA papers, a scandal that came to light linking Moreno and his family to illicit offshore accounts.

The Ecuadorean government has been accused by former President Rafael Correa of persecution, as evidenced by a previous Interpol Red Notice issued against him last year.

Interpol rejected Ecuador’s “Red Notice” request against Correa considering it incompatible with human rights, as made public by the National Court of Justice on Wednesday.