Ecuadorean judge frees jailed former president

By Alonso Soto

QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) – Former Ecuadorean President
Lucio Gutierrez was released from jail on Friday after a judge
cleared him of charges of threatening national security in a
ruling that could inflame Ecuador’s political tensions.

Crowds of supporters cheered in the Quito courtroom as the
judge ordered the release of Gutierrez, who was jailed for
after he denouncing his ouster by Congress last April as
illegal. He was arrested in October after returning to Ecuador
from Colombia, where he had been given asylum.

Gutierrez, who says he will run for president again in
October’s election despite only single-digit support in the
polls, was fired by Congress for interfering with the Supreme
Court and his former vice president, Alfredo Palacio, took over
the presidency.

“Finally we have justice,” Gutierrez told reporters after
his release. “Lucio Gutierrez is not worried about the other
charges. Lucio Gutierrez has never committed a crime.”

The legality of Gutierrez’ candidacy remains in limbo and
he still faces charges for dissolving the Supreme Court. A new
Supreme Court will have to decide if he should be tried.

The attorney general’s office plans to appeal Friday’s
ruling in Quito, a spokeswoman said.

“His still has to answer to a lot accusations,” said
Democratic Left party congressman Carlos Gonzalez, a Gutierrez
opponent who has accused him of mishandling public funds.

Gutierrez, a former army colonel and leader of a coup
attempt in 2000, was elected in 2002 on a left-wing plank but
alienated supporters with free-market policies and a close
alliance with the United States.

Analysts said Gutierrez’s chances of winning the presidency
in October were slim but he could still wield significant
political power against Palacio’s weak government.

One government official last week accused Gutierrez of
planning a violent protest in his stronghold and home province
of Napo in the Amazon region. The protests threatened the
country’s crucial oil sector.

“This could impact Palacio’s government, which has been
fearful of Gutierrez’s power to mobilize,” said Simon Pachano,
a professor at Ecuador’s branch of the Latin American Faculty
of Social Sciences. “Even if he is not a strong presidential
candidate he has a lot of influence in certain provinces.”

The Palacio government said it would respect the court’s
decision to release Gutierrez, which it said illustrated the
country’s institutional stability.

Dozens of Gutierrez supporters waving his party flag and
wailing “Lucio for president,” were outside the Quito court to
support him.

“He is a good man and we appreciate him in the Amazon,”
said a supporter identified only as Ramon Najamtia, a
47-year-old Shuar Indian and former soldier under Gutierrez.
“We will win.”