Political trial of former Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo, at the stage to present exculpatory evidence

The impeachment process against former Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo continues within the evidence stage regarding three interpellation requests submitted by legislators from the Union for Hope (UNES), Pachakutik (PK) and Democratic Left (ID) caucuses. The deadline to respond to the accusations expires on January 26.

The commission unified the three trial petitions that are related to alleged breaches of duties during the June 2022 demonstrations and in the femicide of María Belén Bernal.

Patricio Carrillo, former Minister of the Interior, will be subjected to three political trials for mobilizations in June 2022 and the femicide of María Belén Bernal

first request

The first trial request was presented by assembly members Peter Calo (PK) and Jhajaira Urresta (UNES) on August 9, 2022. They hold the former official responsible for the actions, omissions, and misapplication of international protocols and standards in the use progressive force during the national strike of June 2022, which has caused consequences and injuries to human rights.

The interpellants affirm that there are elements that would presume seven possible responsibilities regarding the breach of duties:

1. Violation of human rights in the context of the mobilizations and national paralysis between June 13 and 30, 2022, and breach of the function of ensuring respect for and observance of human rights, established in article 3 letters b, t of Executive Decree 381;
2. Non-observance and verification of compliance with the Constitution of the Republic and another legal framework established in article 3 letter a of Executive Decree 381.
3. Inadequate control of the actions of the National Police in the framework of the mobilizations and national paralysis.
4. Lack of application of adequate public policies for citizen security, established in article 3 letter c of Executive Decree 381.
5. Failing to diligently execute the functions established in article 3 letters e and d of Executive Decree 381.
6. Failing to comply with what is established in article 63 of the Organic Code of Citizen Security Entities and Public Order.
7. Acting against the provisions of article 64 numerals 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the Organic Code of Citizen Security and Public Order Entities.

second process

The second trial request was made by the assembly members Lucía Placencia and Johana Moreira (ID) on August 25, 2022, for failing to fulfill duties during the day of the social protest in June last year, fundamentally, in respect of human rights, given that people are holders of the right to protest.

The two assembly members of the orange party develop four causes for the political trial against Carrillo:

1. Excessive use of force in attacks on universities, as well as Humanitarian Care Centers.
2. Deaths in the context of the national strike.
3. Repression in El Arbolito park on June 24, 2022.
4. Excessive use of force in the House of Ecuadorian Culture.

Third request for trial

This request for interpellation was presented by the legislator Gissela Garzón (UNES) on October 8, 2022, for alleged breach of functions assigned in the Constitution.

The main accusation focuses on the femicide case of María Belén Bernal, registered at the General Alberto Enríquez Gallo Higher Police School.

The proponent accuses Carrillo of inaction and omission on the issue of Bernal’s femicide, because according to the legislator, “despite these facts being so alarming both due to the very serious violation of human rights produced against María Belén Bernal, and due to the imminent direct responsibility of the State due to the context in which this crime occurs, the former minister flagrantly failed to comply with his obligations as the governing authority for citizen security and peaceful social coexistence within the framework of respect for fundamental rights.”

In addition, it maintains that in the midst of this crisis, on September 13, 2022, the former minister requested a vacation to leave the country for a private social event, breaching the duties inherent to his functions and as such contravening literals a), b) and f) of article 22, literal a) of the Organic Law of Public Service; trivializing the seriousness and nature of the facts, referring to this heinous crime as a “crime of passion” or “an irrational human act, but it is human.”

These statements, according to the questioner, show the lack of stewardship with a gender approach in public policy that was within the scope of its powers, in breach of the provisions of article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic.

For this reason, Garzón blames the former minister for failing to observe the responsibility of the State regarding the formulation and execution of policies to achieve equality between women and men, through the specialized mechanism and incorporating the gender approach in plans and programs. (YO)