Ecuadorian parliament approves anti-mafia bill with prison terms of up to 60 years

QUITO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's National Assembly on Monday approved an anti-mafia bill introducing legal reforms to strengthen the fight against organized crime, toughen penalties and target the financing sources of criminal organizations.

Proposed by National Assembly President Mishel Mancheno, the bill amends the Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code, drug legislation, the Organic Law on Asset Forfeiture and the Organic Code of the Judiciary.

Mancheno highlighted the legislation as a tool to comprehensively combat organized crime, strengthen the state's response and restore peace of mind to Ecuadorian families.

Among its main provisions, the bill establishes an exceptional system of cumulative sentences for three or more separate intentional crimes, allowing prison terms of up to 60 years.

It also introduces new offenses related to the recruitment of individuals, forced internal displacement and the confinement of communities through violence or threats.

The bill offers leniency for cooperation with authorities, conditioned on the provision of verifiable information and concrete results in identifying perpetrators and dismantling criminal organizations. Such benefits, however, do not apply to crimes against life or the sexual and reproductive integrity of children and adolescents.

The reform toughens penalties for illegal activities involving hydrocarbons, strengthens controls on synthetic drugs and chemical precursors, and introduces mechanisms to protect the identities of judges handling organized crime cases.

Lawyers and accountants who intentionally facilitate or conceal crimes would also face professional disqualification, subject to a final and binding court ruling.

The bill also calls for strengthened efforts to recover, safeguard, preserve and manage illicit assets.

The bill will be sent to President Daniel Noboa in line with the corresponding constitutional procedures.