A former Ecuadorean presidential candidate Nelson Zavala is appealing his charges after he was fined for calling gay people ‘sinners’.

Nelson Zavala, an evangelical preacher who says he can ‘cure’ gay people, has had his political rights suspended for a year and fined for his homophobic fines.

The ruling bars Zavala from standing as a candidate, or being involved with a political party or movement.

He was also fined $3,000 (â‚¬2,300).

The ruling follows after he came last out of eight candidates with 1.23% of the votes, with President Rafael Correa being re-elected for a third term.

Judge Patricia Baca Mancheno found Zavala had violated the electoral code, which ‘forbids candidates of publicly expressing any thoughts that discriminate or affect other people’s dignity or utilise symbols, expressions or allusions of a religious nature.’

At the hearing, the preacher said his opinions were aimed at the country’s constitution which ‘destroys the true Ecuadorian family’ by allowing same-sex civil unions.

After the ruling, Zavala said: ‘Those who judge me will be judged. God will judge us all in the end.

‘One day God will judge everything, and be prepared to explain to God why you called evil good, and good evil.

‘The tribunal does not have influence on the kingdom of heavens and those who celebrate today will cry on judgment day.’

President Correa is currently trying to rebuild bridges with the LGBT community.

In a speech made in February, the South American leader apologized to gay Ecuadorians for homophobic comments made last year, and promised his government will be more inclusive and sensitive moving forward.