Gustavo Noboa, president of Ecuador 2000-2003, arrived in
the Dominican Republic on Saturday and was received by President Hip?lito Mej?a
at the presidential residence in Juan Dolio, where Noboa was housed temporarily
over the weekend. Noboa arrived with his wife, Maria Isabel Baquerizo, after
being granted political asylum by the Dominican government.
Noboa told the press he would rent a furnished apartment in Santo Domingo.
Noboa, 65, claims he is a victim of political persecution in his country, where
he is accused of misusing government bond money while in power. News reports say
that with his petition for asylum, Noboa seeks to avoid a judicial probe by
state prosecutors into his government’s use of bonds worth US$126 million
designated to aid weak state-run banks.
Noboa joins former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres P?rez, who also resides in
the Dominican Republic following sentencing for corruption while in office in
Venezuela.