Assembly does not get the votes to remove the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso

In three votes, the National Assembly did not reach the 92 supports necessary to remove the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, due to a serious political crisis and social commotion, based on the request of Correismo through the Unión por la Esperanza (UNES) caucus. ).

For three days, the Parliament debated the request of the legislator Patricia Núñez (UNES), that article 130 number 2 of the Constitution be activated and proceed to the removal of the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, invoking that cause in the midst of the national strike called by the indigenous movement.

Assembly refines vote on impeachment of the President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso

The motion was elaborated by the correísta legislator Fernando Cedeño, and in a first voting it obtained 81 supporters from the UNES blocs, a part of Pachakutik and some independents, 42 against and 14 abstentions from the Social Christian Party (PSC), the Democratic Left (ID) and the Bank of the National Agreement (BAN).

There was a rectification requested by the Assemblywoman, Wilma Andrade (ID), and there were 84 votes in favor, 42 against and 11 abstentions.

Andrade spoke of a manipulation of the vote. The president of the Assembly, Virgilio Saquicela, requested a report from the Department of Technologies, after the request of the legislators Andrade, Marlon Cadena and Dalton Bacigalupo (ID), and the ruling party Guido Chiriboga. The standard does not allow a second rectification.

Then the reconsideration of the vote was raised by Assemblyman Juan Fernando Flores (BAN), who did have support. And, finally, in a third vote, 80 in favor, 48 against and 9 abstentions were obtained.yes

The debate on Lasso’s impeachment request was held virtually over three days: Saturday the 25th, Sunday the 26th and this Tuesday the 28th. 109 of 137 possible assembly members took part.

The Constitution of the Republic states that this mechanism to remove the Head of State can only be used once in the current legislative period, which lasts four years (2021-2025). Although there are divided legal criteria in this regard.

The procedure contemplated the notification to the president so that he attends to present his exculpatory evidence, but he did not attend but delegated the legal secretary of the presidency, Fabián Pozo.

Cedeño’s motion proposed: “To dismiss Mr. Guillermo Lasso Mendoza, Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador, for the cause contemplated in article 130, number 2 of the Constitution, as a serious political crisis and internal commotion have been verified.

In conclusion, the reasoned resolution stated the following: “Guillermo Lasso Mendoza, President of the Republic, has not been able to prove the non-existence of the serious political crisis and internal commotion that the country is experiencing, evidenced by the real occurrence of events that seriously threaten security, institutionality, the exercise of a normal coexistence of citizenship and the exercise of constitutional rights that, in short, cause a deep social alarm, as supported by this Resolution, a situation that is aggravated by the political conflict and the crisis of legitimacy of the president, expressed in social discontent, mistrust, disapproval and ignorance of political representatives and authorities of the various functions of the State, which is finally expressed in the accumulated and repeated strikes, public protests and popular mobilizations.

Dialogue

Before closing the debate, Saquicela reported the terms under which the mediation of dialogue between the Government and the leadership of the indigenous movement was carried out, and invited President Lasso to resume the dialogue suspended in the morning due to the registration of a military deceased and twelve uniformed officers injured by death in an incident recorded in Shushufindi, this June 28.

The legislator indicated that the dialogue has been “a few cents with respect to the price of fuel” to solve the paralysis of the country, there was that possibility on both sides.

He considered that this dialogue, scheduled for this Tuesday morning, should not have been suspended, and that the death of the soldier and of seven people in total in this stoppage is unfortunate; For this reason, it is necessary that if “this Assembly does not remove the President of the Republic, in this legal process and constitution, you, Mr. President, must go to that dialogue or your delegates and resolve it for those cents, and Ecuador will function again. ”, he stressed. (YO)