An Ecuadorean judge denied her role in a court ruling that awarded President Rafael Correa $40 million for libel in July and said the statement was really drawn up by the president’s own lawyer.
Monica Encalada said she played no part in the verdict that sentenced the owners of the newspaper El Universo and a former editor at the publication to three years in prison and awarded the compensation to Correa, according to a statement posted today on the newspaper’s website. The judge fled the country last night, television station Ecuavisa said today.
