Correa says Ecuador leader must explain Manafort meeting

MADRID – Former Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has called on his successor Lenin Moreno to explain to his country why he met with the indicted former campaign chairman for U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year.

"If they keep it secret it's because they are hiding something," Correa said in an interview Saturday with The Associated Press in Madrid.

Paul Manafort was recently indicted in the U.S. on money laundering charges and other counts and went to Ecuador May 9, according to a U.S. court filing.

Moreno's office declined to comment when contacted by the AP.

Correa said he was not aware of the May trip and only found out about it in the press some days ago. He said he had no information about the meeting beyond rumors.