Ethics Committee closes the trial phase in the investigation against Ecknner Recalde, accused of collecting tithes

Four witnesses gave their version in the investigation process that the Ethics Committee is following against Assemblyman Ecknner Recalde (ex-ID), accused by his ex-co-chair Johanna Moreira (ID) of allegedly collecting tithes from his office team.

All agreed that, at the request of the advisor Patricio Guayaquil, financial contributions of $ 500 and $ 200 a month had to be made for a political project and to build a headquarters for the Democratic Left in the south of Quito. Two of them said that the payments were not finalized, and two indicated that they did deliver $ 200 and $ 110, in cash, to one of the legislator’s assistants, named Carmen Calderón, who in turn was the defendant’s sister-in-law, but who It was on the payroll of Assemblywoman Rocío Guanoluisa (ID).

This is the last phase of the investigation carried out by the Ethics Committee before the presentation of a first draft of the report that will be presented by legislator Segundo Chimbo (PK), for the consideration of the members of the table.

Ethics Committee reaches the final phase of judging the Assemblyman Recalde for alleged collection of tithes

Legislator Johanna Moreira (ID) filed a complaint against her former co-chair Ecknner Recalde for alleged violation of paragraph 4 of article 163 of the Organic Law of the Legislative Function, which prohibits receiving income other than those corresponding to the function of assembly members.

Carmen Calderón, sister-in-law of the accused, were called as witnesses in the case; Patricio Guayaquil and Xavier Ortuño, advisers; and the legislative assistant Isabel Mayanker, who, according to their testimonies, collaborated in Recalde’s office.

Carmen Calderón, in her statement, said that it was on the payroll of legislator Rocío Guanoluisa (ID); But, according to the testimonies of collaborators Ortuño and Mayanker, she worked in the office of legislator Ecknner Recalde as a trusted person.

She denied that she worked with Recalde, whom she recognized as her brother-in-law, but that she collaborated in Guanoluisa’s office, to whom she took her agenda. That it was called by the advisor Patricio Guayaquil to a meeting where Ortuño and Mayanker were, and there was talk of monthly contributions of their salary to open a political headquarters of the Democratic Left in the south of Quito. That she was appointed as treasurer of the money, but that she never gave money to the legislator, but affirmed that she never received money from anyone and that the opening of the headquarters did not take place.

In due course, the Guayaquil advisor affirmed that he never gave money to the Recalde legislator. That the contributions agreed between the members of the office were to open a party headquarters in the south of the city; and that was an idea that Isabel Mayanker gave, considering that Ortuño could be the candidate for councilor of Quito in the next elections. He said that the videos that were exposed in the investigation were altered and edited.

Later, the advisor Xavier Ortuño gave his testimony: he affirmed that Carmen Calderón worked in the defendant’s office and that she was in charge of receiving and registering the contributions that were for a political project in which they would suggest her name as a candidate for councilor, as well as which he refused because he was not interested.

That at a second meeting in August he was summoned by Mr. Guayaquil, in the assemblyman’s office, where he told him that the contributions had to be given on a mandatory basis and from the month of June. That she warned her officemates that it is a crime to ask for these contributions, because it is a crime for both the one who gives and the one who receives.

That on September 1 he met with the legislator Ecknner Recalde regarding these contributions, who ratified that what was indicated by Patricio Guayaquil should take place since June, and that even he had already given him his share. That the accused legislator said that the venue “goes because it goes”, with or without the consent of the party.

According to Ortuño, on September 1 he made a contribution of $ 200; That money was given to Carmen Calderón and it was written down in a notebook. But when asked if he has a receipt or proof of his contribution, he said no.

The last witness, Isabel Mayanker, admitted that she recorded the audios without the consent of any of those who participated in the conversations; they speak of mandatory contributions for a political headquarters in the south of the city, in the Villaflora sector. Those videos were the one delivered to legislator Alejandro Jaramillo, coordinator of the ID bank.

He denied that he had been the mentalizadora of the political project in the south of Quito; that it was Patricio Guayaquil who mentioned that it was necessary to put money for a headquarters and raise a project, and that did not go beyond being a simple conversation until the month of July, when Guayaquil put the amount of the contributions, that is, Patricio Guayaquil and Xavier Ontuño, $ 500 each; Carmen Calderón and her, $ 200 a month.

During her testimony, Mayanker’s voice broke when she narrated that she had requested that the payment not be retroactive, but that this request was denied even with the knowledge of the legislator Recalde; In one of the sessions, he learned that the contributions would also be to cover the assemblyman’s campaign debts.

After this testimony, the president of the Committee suspended the session before giving way to the appearances of the accuser and the accused legislator to support the evidence for the prosecution and defense. (I)