Ecuador's president dissolves parliament, calls new elections amid threat of impeachment
The president of Ecuador issued the decree dissolving the country's Parliament and calling urgent elections amid suspicions of corruption that fall on him.
President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso - Photo Reproduction / Pilar Troya Fernández
This Wednesday (17), the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, officially issued a decree dissolving the country's parliament and calling urgent elections. This measure will take effect immediately. By means of this decree, the National Assembly was dissolved and the president will have the authority to govern through decree-laws of economic urgency during the period in which the elections for president and legislators will be held. The decision was announced by the Ecuadorian government through a decree released by the Presidency of the Republic. This action is known as "cross-killing".
Tailored by Lasso
The decision was taken one day after the National Assembly of Ecuador began political proceedings against the Ecuadorian president on suspicion of corruption. He is being accused of embezzlement. Lasso has always vehemently denied such accusations.
On Tuesday (16), an urgent decree was published, with immediate effect, issued by the Ecuadorian leader, which establishes the following:
The dissolution of the National Assembly (the country's Congress) due to a serious political crisis and internal instability.
Ecuador's National Electoral Council has been instructed to call new general elections within the next seven days.
The mandate of all deputies ended immediately.
Individuals elected in these extraordinary elections will have a term valid only until the next regular elections, which will take place before 2025.
Ecuadorians: This is the best decision to give a constitutional solution to the political crisis and internal turmoil that Ecuador is facing and give back to the Ecuadorian people the power to decide their future in the next elections, he said through a publication on one of his networks social.
"Cross Death"
The "death of the cross" is a legal term that grants the president the prerogative to dissolve the National Assembly and, subsequently, call elections, with the aim of renewing the Legislative and Executive Powers, for example: when the Legislative blocks the functioning of the government . This measure, supported by the Constitution of Ecuador, allows these powers to dissolve only once during the first three years of the presidential term, resulting in the holding of general elections.
Accusation against Lasso
According to the opposition, the president did not cancel the contract between the Ecuadorian Oil Fleet (Flopec) and the Amazonas Tankers consortium for the transport of oil derivatives. It is alleged that this lack of action would have caused financial losses to the State. also on Tuesday, political representatives began discussions regarding the impeachment process against Lasso. The president denied the allegations made against him and said the trial was politically motivated.
“I came here to say this to my accusers: I accuse them. I accuse them of having abandoned their role as legislators. Now you are the anti-lawmakers of this republic, because you don't create laws, you destroy them," Lasso told lawmakers.
On Tuesday night, Ecuador's National Assembly halted discussion without reaching a vote. The president of the Assembly, Virgílio Saquicela, informed that the discussion will be restarted on Wednesday morning and that the majority of the parliamentarians still need to demonstrate before the Assembly.
the elections
Lasso will now remain in office for up to six months, exercising governmental powers through decrees while national election authorities schedule the election date. Ecuador's National Electoral Council has seven days to call new elections. Due to the ban on re-election established by Ecuadorian legislation, Lasso would not be able to stand as a candidate in the elections he himself called. In his speech, the Ecuadorian president did not reveal his intentions to run again.
