Bolivia: Evo Requests 'Gesture of Humanity' for Ecuador's Ex VP

Bolivian President Evo Morales called on Ecuadorean authorities to consider some humanitarian measure for former Vice President Jorge Glas, whose health has deteriorated greatly since he began a hunger strike a month ago to protest his imprisonment.

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Morales insisted human principles should displace political considerations in this case and urged the government to make a decision that guarantees Glas' human rights after he was transferred back to a high-security prison.

"Have a gesture of humanity with Brother Jorge Glas, whose state of health is very serious, any political difference is in the background when it comes to a human life, we hope for his recovery," Morales tweeted Wednesday night.

On Oct. 22, Glas was taken to a hospital in the capital city of Quito after 18 days of hunger strike, a protest measure that began when he was unexpectedly transferred to the Latacunga high-security prison.

Glas, who was elected Ecuador's vice president in February 2017, was arrested on Oct. 2 of the same year after being accused of receiving bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Glas has ratified his innocence and the main evidence against him is the testimony provided by Odebrecht executive Jose Conceiçao and an audio in which Conceiçao tells former state comptroller Carlos Polit that Glas requested money in exchange for contracts. 

Glas and former President Rafael Correa insist that President Lenin Moreno's decision to remove Glas from the vice presidency was a political act that sought to remove a man "loyal" the redistributive political project embodied by the Citizens' Revolution, enabling a shift in economic policy and political alliances.

Glas, Correa, and their followers believe the corruption case against Glas is part of a scheme of political persecution.