President Guillermo Lasso, by Executive Decree 75 of June 15, 2021, repealed Executive Decree 1369, letter b of Article 3 of Decree 418 and ordered that the Presidential Military House provide security for him, the Vice President, his wife and the Secretary of Public Administration; Likewise, within 30 days, the insurance provided by the House of the Army to the relatives of former presidents and former vice-presidents should be withdrawn.

Paragraph b of Article 3 of Decree 418, signed by Rafael Correa on July 8, 2010, states: “Provide protection and security to the President and Constitutional Vice President of the Republic, the National Secretary of Public Administration and their family members inside and outside the country.”

The aforementioned Regulation 75 indicates that ministers and their families will have security only under the imperative need to provide protection to authorities whose profile is considered risky, this will be determined by the technical report of the Presidential Military Chamber.

A few days before the end of his term, on May 3, 2017 to be exact, Rafael Correa signed Decree 1369 which states: “Provide, if necessary, protection and security to the former presidents and former vice-presidents of the Republic, their spouses and children, for a period of one year , i.e. six months, terms that can be shortened or extended based on the risk report that will be compulsorily drawn up for this purpose.” Seen this way, the protection could be lifelong; It is interesting that at the beginning of his term, Correa never thought of ensuring the safety of his predecessors. Prior to this last-minute decree, no former president or vice president had claimed this privilege.

The security of the President of the Republic has always been in charge of the Presidential Military Home, which was commanded by the General Officer of the Armed Forces. Rafael Correa, by Executive Decree 418 of July 8, 2010, created the Presidential Protection Service (SPP) by merging the Military House and the Presidential Airlift Squadron; Among the introductory statements of the above-mentioned Decree, it is stated: “That it becomes imperative to establish a Comprehensive Security System for the Presidency of the Republic that strives to ideally guarantee the protection and protection of the President and the main authorities of the country, according to the criteria that their security represents the strategic goal of the state responsible for the armed forces and the national the police, as established in Article 158 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador.”

When Guillermo Lasso took over the presidency, the decision to abolish the canons that Correa and his family had received, for example the custody of his daughter Anne Dominique, who was studying in the French city of Lyon, was welcomed, which cost the state $914,289 a year.Ecuadorian.

As his term draws to a close, Guillermo Lasso issues a decree establishing that he and his wife will have national security inside and outside the country until at least 2025.

What is reprehensible in the executive order issued by Lasso is not because it relates to his personal security, the vice president and his wives, in most countries, for a while, the state takes over the security of former presidents; They criticize him for doing the same thing as Rafael Correa. (OR)