Opposition in Ecuador ratifies complaint and motion of censure against President Lasso

Ecuador’s parliamentary opposition ratified on Tuesday its allegations of alleged corruption against the country’s president, the conservative Guillermo Lasso, and reiterated its motion of censure against the president at the start of a political trial for alleged embezzlement (embezzlement) in public companies.

In a plenary session of the National Assembly (Parliament), to which Lasso himself also appeared to plead his defense, although he left the legislative chamber after his speech, the opposition assembly members Esteban Torres and Viviana Veloz led the questioning of the president.

Veloz, from the Union for Hope (UNES) movement, close to former progressive president Rafael Correa (2007-17), was harsh in presenting the evidence against Lasso, whom she even called “liar”.

The legislator recalled that the case against Lasso refers to the alleged irregularities found in a contract for the transportation of crude oil between the state-owned Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (Flopec) and the private company Amazonas Tanker.

According to Veloz, it is a damage to the State of 6 million dollars and he even presented a video in which a former manager of Flopec, Johnny Estupiñán, revealed that at the time he had warned President Lasso of the irregularities.

“They wanted proof, there’s the proof!”, emphasized the assemblywoman after remarking that for her President Lasso “is politically responsible”, but should also answer for any “criminal responsibilities” that could emerge after the impeachment.

Veloz recalled that one of the main people involved in the Flopec case, Hernán Luque, close to Lasso, has fled the country, and that another of those linked to the plot of alleged corruption involving Lasso, Rubén Cherres, was found at end of March murdered with signs of torture.

For this reason, the legislator criticized that Lasso, in her appearance, argued that there was no evidence or witnesses to support the complaints, although the legislator commented that she has many arguments that support her complaints.

On his side, Esteban Torres, the other questioning legislator, from the right-wing Social Christian Party (PSC), agreed that the evidence points to President Lasso and that the impeachment, protected by the Constitution and internal legal regulations, supports the possibility that the president is censured.

If Lasso is removed, he will be succeeded, according to the constitutional norm, by the country’s vice president, Alfredo Borrero, Torres recalled after reproaching the ruling party’s version in the sense that the impeachment trial smacked of a “coup”.

The PSC assemblyman also referred to the announcement made a few days ago by President Lasso that he would invoke the so-called “death cross” to avoid his dismissal, which means the dissolution of the National Assembly, the early call for presidential elections and, until then, the possibility that the president exercise through executive decrees.

Torres observed that Lasso in his appearance has not repeated that argument, which he described as a “threat” that has no legal basis.

In addition, he recalled that the political trial is not only based on the complaint of alleged corruption in public companies, but also refers to the situation of social, political and economic deterioration that has affected the country since Lasso took power in May 2021.

The current one is an “inefficient and slow government that has abandoned the destinies of the country” and the population, added Torres.

After the speeches by Veloz and Torres, which followed the appearance of President Lasso, a string of pronouncements by the legislators who are part of the legislative plenary began.

The National Assembly of Ecuador is made up of 137 parliamentarians and, for the censure and dismissal of the president, according to the Constitutional norm, 92 votes (two thirds of the Chamber) are required, which the opposition claims to have reached, although the ruling party trusts overcome the “impeachment” to Lasso.

Source: EFE