Correa was accused of having taken part in a bribery scheme that would have been in effect between 2012 and 2016.

Ecuador’s former President President Rafael Correa and former Vice President Jorge Glas have been sentenced to 8 years in prison for bribery charges.

According to the National Court of Justice (NCJ), the accusers proved that those left-wing politicians would have taken part in a payment scheme in the "2012-2016 Bribery" case.

"Before reading the sentence, Judge Ivan Leon revealed that the Court considers that the crime is proven, that the Prosecutor's Office demonstrated the existence of a corruption structure and that the victim of the crime is the State," local outlet El Comercio reported.

During the process, the State Attorney General Diana Salazar argued that Correa, Glas, and other high officials received money from businessmen and used it to finance the activities of their political party, Alianza Pais (AP).

“The sentenced were part of a network that received illegal contributions from state contractors to finance AP campaigns and other political events... the money was delivered in cash or through the crossing of bills,” said Salazar said, as reported by local media.

El gobierno negligente y criminal utiliza la persecusión política para desviar las miradas de la catástrofe en Guayaquil, mientras condena sin pruebas a @MashiRafael y la @EcuadorRC. Quieren impedir su participación el 2021#LawfareNoPara#PorLaVerdadYLaVida#FueraMalgobierno pic.twitter.com/gwOiZdfQmw — Pablo Iturralde (@Pablo_Iturralde) April 7, 2020

"The negligent and criminal government uses political persecution to divert attention from the catastrophe in Guayaquil. Meanwhile, it condemns Rafael Correa without evidence. They want to prevent his participation in 2021."

Former President rejected the sentence and stressed that it is part of a political persecution which the Ecuadorian elites have long been devising.

Previously, on Monday night, alternative journalists leaked the prefabricated texts of the sentence to be read on Tuesday, which revealed the political nature of the judicial process.

"Everything was a show that was already set up. After yesterday's leak, they only replaced the 'organizational dominance' charge with the 'breach of duty' charge. And they added aggravating reasons because they are furious with the leak," Correa tweeted.

As a result of the NCJ sentence, Rafael Correa, who maintains a very high degree of popular support in Ecuador, loses his political rights for 25 years, that is, he will not be allowed to be a candidate for any elected office.

Currently the former Ecuadorian president is residing in Brussels, Belgium, with his family.