Ecuador appoints new trial court for Encuentro case; four accused await trial

Ecuador's judiciary has assigned a new three-judge panel to preside over the trial phase of the Encuentro case, replacing the previous court. The accused—Leonardo Cortázar, Hernán Luque, and two others—remain in pretrial status, indicating the case is proceeding but delayed. The change in judges may affect case momentum and legal strategy, though the underlying charges are unchanged.