Session to analyze Ecuadorian president impeachment request

Quito, Jun 25 (EFE).- Ecuador’s parliament installed Saturday a session to discuss the impeachment of President Guillermo Lasso, who called the attempt an attempted coup against him Friday.

The session – held virtually, with the assistance of 135 assembly members, the legal secretary of the Presidency of Fabian Pozo, and chaired by the head of the Legislative Branch Virgilio Saquicela – began with the singing of the Ecuadorian national anthem.

The request for the removal of the ruler was made by assembly members related to former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017) under the cause of serious internal commotion due to the wave of protests against the high cost of living and the economic policies of the executive.

Although in principle the Legislative session was going to take place at the assembly headquarters, it will be held virtually due to the state of emergency decreed in six provinces due to the protests, characterized by road closures and the blocking of roads.

The organic law of the assembly requires that the session to debate the presidential impeachment be convened in less than 24 hours from the presentation of the request, and President Lasso, who has delegated his intervention to Fabian Well.

After the debate, Parliament has 72 hours to vote on the continuity of the president, for which a two-thirds majority is required, equivalent to 92 of the 137 assembly members.

The session takes place during the 13th day of mobilizations called, mainly by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador.

Likewise, it was installed a few hours after government representatives met with confederation president Leonidas Iza and other indigenous leaders, in a first approach called by Saquicela, who highlighted the willingness of the parties to dialogue.

“I believe this path will prosper and I believe that the parties are predisposed to this dialogue, yielding from part to part, without conditions but rather reaching specific agreements,” he said, expressing his hope that a first dialogue table can be set up tomorrow.

The indigenous movement demands compliance with a list of 10 demands, among them that fuel prices be reduced and frozen, that the prices of basic necessities be controlled, that state companies not be privatized and that the oil and mining activity in the Amazon.

The demonstrations, which began on Jun. 13, have been characterized by roadblocks and the blocking of roads, and have registered violent episodes that have left, so far, five dead and no less than 200 injured among the protesters and the security forces. EFE

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