A judge in Ecuador has ordered that former left-wing presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez remain detained following her arrest for alleged money laundering. The order on Friday came the day after 48-year-old Gonzalez, who challenged right-wing President Daniel Noboa in the 2023 election, was arrested in the rural town of Canuto.

Gonzalez, her party, and former President Rafael Correa have characterized the arrest as political persecution. Prosecutors are investigating Gonzalez as one of seven individuals allegedly involved in financing the 2023 presidential campaign, with a focus on approximately $500,000 reportedly used for advertising during the race.

Gonzalez has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges "absurd." Her party, Citizen Revolution (RC), has voiced strong opposition, with party president Gabriela Rivadeneira stating that the arrest "confirms or makes visible what we have been saying lately: Ecuador is living under a dictatorship."

The arrest and detention come amidst a period of heightened political tension. Gonzalez lost to Daniel Noboa in a 2025 run-off election, a result she rejected as fraudulent. Noboa, who has been described as an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, later accused the Citizen Revolution party of conspiring against him.

Several other members of Gonzalez's Citizen Revolution party have also recently faced legal challenges. These include Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Alvarez, who was convicted of illegally selling subsidized fuel, and former Vice President Jorge Glas, who is currently serving a sentence for corruption charges.

The Citizen Revolution Movement has publicly denounced Gonzalez's arrest as politically motivated and has called for her immediate release. The party has also faced electoral restrictions, having been banned from participating in local elections scheduled for the upcoming month.

Gonzalez, a lawyer by profession, previously served as a member of Ecuador's National Assembly. Her challenge to Noboa in the 2025 election marked a significant moment in Ecuadorian politics, with the outcome being contested by her campaign.

The ongoing legal proceedings against Gonzalez and other party members raise questions about the political climate in Ecuador and the future of the Citizen Revolution party's influence in national politics.