the appearance from the Minister of Energy, Juan Carlos Bermeo, to the Economic Regime Commission of the National Assembly it became a space for strong accusations made above all by the Assembly members of the UNES Alliance: Mónica Palacios, Pamela Aguirre, Sofía Espín and Mariuxi Sánchez. The call was for the official to explain about the migration of oil service contracts to others by participation, which is one of the most important changes that occur after the publication of the Economic Development Law last November.
For example, Assemblywoman Pamela Aguirre He began by indicating that the participation contracts will affect the State, since the investments already made will be lost, but also part of the production that is now received will be lost.
Previously, the minister had argued that there was a wrong perception in considering that service contracts are more beneficial for the State. And he had recalled the problems that existed for the country due to migration, that is mandatory, to companies such as Perenco, Burlington and Murphy to service contracts, which ended in international lawsuits. Service contracts generate higher incremental production income for the State, however high rates must be paid to private companies, which when the price falls, generate accumulation of debts for the State (carry forward). The participation contract, according to the minister, generates private investment and is flexible on the international price of crude oil.
Pamela Aguirre “replied against” indicating: Perenco “sued us because we did something good, because they were not allowed to continue taking 80% of the crude”
The minister argued that he does not know where the 80-20 figure comes from. But he did offer the assemblywoman to send her Perenco’s award so that she could verify the reasons that were taken into account to sanction Ecuador on that issue. In any case, he said that the Government will always seek the edge of legal certainty.
Mónica Palacios, meanwhile, assured that Decree 95 issued by President Guillermo Lasso seeks to “steal money from Ecuadorians.” She made comparisons based, as she said, on the figures from the Central Bank on what was received in the governments of León Febres-Cordero, Abdalá Bucaram and Rafael Correa. And she concluded that service contracts were much better.
Additionally, he accused the government of wanting to privatize the Petroecuador fields that are being managed correctly to “give them to friends and evade taxes.”
Faced with these accusations, Byron Maldonado reminded Assemblywoman Palacios that the commission is technical and that it would be necessary to refer to the aforementioned topic.
Pabel Muñoz, for his part, justified what was done by the government of Rafael Correa when the contracts were changed to services, indicating that although lawsuits were received and Ecuador had to pay millions in fines for that action, on the other hand it received much more money for the exploited oil production.
Sofía Espín, for her part, threatened Minister Bermeo, telling him that if after a possible migration of contracts it were seen that the country is receiving a single dollar less than with service contracts, he will be accused of embezzlement.
Mireya Pazmiño, president of the Commission, intervened at that moment to ask Assemblywoman Espín to ask her questions without political bias and referring to the subject. She also criticized the differentials with which crude oil is now sold.
In his response, Bermeo said that in the face of the challenge that the legislator Espín has given him “with great pleasure” he submits to demonstrate that in the end it will be a timely decision and for the good of the country.”
Mariuxi Sánchez, from the Orellana province, complained about the circumstances of poverty in his area. He assured that until now not a single dollar of the 3,600 barrels that the Government announced that the ITT would produce with the opening of the first Ishpingo well has reached them.
Given the concern of the legislator about whether the ITT will be handed over to the private company, Bermeo reminded her that according to the law, this field cannot be operated but only by the state company. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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