Abdala Bucaram was, for a brief time, the president of the South American nation of Ecuador. He was the brother-in-law of President Jaime Roldos Aguilera. Roldos and his wife, Bucaram's sister, were killed in a suspicious plane wreck.
Bucaram has been involved in many different fields over the years. Politics being just one of them. Although almost undoubtedly what he's best-known for. His time during and after his presidency has been rather tumultuous.
Under investigation as part of a COVID-19 embezzlement probe
Bucaram's home was raided on Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press, the raid was connected to an investigation into a public hospital. The hospital is apparently being investigated for embezzlement regarding COVID-19 treatment.
Whatever Bucaram's possible connection to the hospital might be isn't necessarily clear. But there was an unusually large amount of medical equipment found at his residence. Deutsche Welle reports that approximately 2,000 COVID-19 test kits and 5,000 masks were discovered. An unlicensed gun was also found on the property.
It's not unheard of for a former Ecuadorian president to become embroiled in controversy. Legal or otherwise. Earlier this year, former President Rafael Correa was sentenced to eight years in prison.
He was one of several former politicians who were found to have illegally awarded government contracts for money.
Bucaram rose to power during the 1990s
In years past, Bucaram was a competitive hurdler. He was selected for Ecuador's Olympic team for the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, then in West Germany. Bucaram served as the flag bearer, but an injury kept him from competing.
Afterward, he became the police chief of the coastal province Guayas. He also became the president of Barcelona S.C. A soccer team based in Guayaquil, the capital of Guayas.
In 1982, Bucaram founded Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano. Or the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party. The was the namesake of Bucaran's late brother-in-law, who had died the year before.
It promoted a populist platform.
Shortly after, he was briefly the mayor of Guayaquil. He also made unsuccessful runs for the Presidency in 1988 and in 1992. In 1996, however, he would run again, and this time he would prevail.
During his time in office, Bucaram was noted for his eccentric behavior. He was nicknamed 'El Loco,' roughly translating to 'The Crazy One.' He was also accused of nepotism and corruption. Amid scandals about his health, possibly illegal behavior, and a very unpopular economic policy, Bucaram was removed from office. His term as president didn't even last six full months.
Bucaram would flee to Panama, where he was granted political asylum. He remained there for several years, returning to Ecuador after the charges against him expired. His son and daughter-in-law would go into politics, both becoming members of the National Assembly. In 2017, Bucaram's son unsuccessfully sought the Presidency.
