Correísmo and allies will play the trial against Lasso

After counting the support of the president of the assembly, Virgilio Saquicela (ind.) and dissidents of Pachakutik and the Democratic Left (ID), the correísmo benches and the Christian Social Party (PSC) confirmed that next week they will present the pimpeachment court against President Guillermo Lasso.

In a brief three-line statement, this Friday, March 10, 2023, these political sectors assured that “the trial is going”, although without yet specifying the grounds for this process that will require an admissibility opinion from the Constitutional Court.

“The trial request is firm and will be presented in mid-March,” they said.

They clarified that the occasional commission report, which was approved with 104 votes last Saturday, “is not the same as the impeachment petition.”

Assembly members from Pachakutik and the Democratic Left pointed out that this report omitted information about the alleged corruption scheme in public companies and the alleged operation of the Albanian mafia in Ecuador.

“Ecuador deserves the truth, without injustice, complicity or impunity,” said the opposition led by correísmo and the PSC.

The signatures

Saquicela led the signing of the statement along with the coordinators of the correísmo bench (Unes), Mauricio Zambrano, and Esteban Torres, from the PSC.

Mireya Pazmiño, an assembly member separated from the Pachakutik bloc and close to the president of Conaie, Leonidas Iza, also signed. Like Rodrigo Fajardo, from the Democratic Left (ID) bench in open contradiction with the party leadership.

In principle, the impeachment request was scheduled to be filed this Friday.

They lowered tensions with dance

The statement was issued one day after the first face-to-face session of the Plenary this week, after the approval of the report last Saturday.

In the midst of political tensions, the session ended with a dance of assembly members from all the benches. There was orchestra. The meeting took place in Portoviejo, Manabí, regarding the festivities of this town.

This is the process for impeachment

1. An assembly member introduces the CAL petition for impeachment at least 46 signatures.
2. He CAL has five days to be able to process it and refer it to the Constitutional Court.
3. The moment he arrives at the Constitutional Court, the full Court (nine judges) sorts the case. From there they have five days to pronounce themselves and send their opinion in favor or against.
4. If it is against, the impeachment is archived. If it is in favor, return to CAL.
5. The CAL once again reviews the documentation sent by the Court and sends it to the Oversight Commission. From there, in more or less five days, the President can defend himself and present evidence to dismiss the case.
6. If the Commission gives way to the trial, a session is called and the debate is opened. The President may once again present exculpatory evidence before the Plenary of the Assembly and without a time limit.
7. After 72 hours of closing the debate, there is a new session in which he must move if possible the censure and dismissal. At that moment, the vote is carried out to see if there are 92 votes to censure and remove the President.
8. In accordance with article 129 of the Constitution, the Assembly may politically impeach the President for three reasons: a) For crimes against State security. b) For crimes of extortion, bribery, embezzlement or illicit enrichment. c) For crimes of genocide, torture, forced disappearance of persons, kidnapping or homicide for political or conscience reasons.
9. If the President is removed, the Vice President will assume the Presidency of the Republic.