ECUADOR’S Vice-President Jorge Glas was sentenced to six years in prison on Wednesday after his conviction for illicit association in a scheme to accept bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

He was among nine people accused of illicit association and receiving bribes from the company to secure lucrative government contracts.

His defence counsel Eduardo Franco Loor announced that Mr Glas would appeal against the sentence, which he described as “iniquitous” and “barbaric,” while former president Rafael Correa denounced the verdict as condemning “an innocent.”

Mr Correa insisted that “a trial full of so many irregularities will have to go to the international bodies, but they already have their objective — to seize the vice-presidency.

“The same script as with Dilma, Lula, Cristina. It’s all a matter of time — our people will react.”

Mr Loor rejected any talk of resignation, insisting: ”Of course, he will continue as vice-president of the country.”