The president of EcuadorWilliam Lasso, appear before Congress face a indictment to which he will be subjected for alleged corruption at the request of an opposition majority seeking to remove him, government minister Henry Cucalón reported this Wednesday.
“He will go to the National Assembly (Parliament) to defend his position and demonstrate the truth,” the official told Ecuavisa channel, a day after the National Assembly deliberated – with 88 votes of the 116 lawmakers present at the session – pursue Lasso.
This is the second attempt to remove him from office in less than a year.
On Tuesday, the Ecuadorian Parliament approved the progress of the impeachment process against Lasso for misappropriation of public funds in contracts for the transportation of hydrocarbons between the state-owned company Flopec and Amazonas Tankers, a business alliance.
According to the indictment, although Lasso had been warned that the contract it was bad for the countrywith a loss to the State estimated at $6.1 million, according to the State Comptroller General, the president did not suspend the deal.
What’s next
After the approval with more than 70 votes obtained on Tuesday, now a a new session whether or not parliamentarians vote in favor of censorship and dismissal of the president.
The plenary session of the unicameral Legislative Body, with an opposition majority, must again collect a minimum of 92 votes of the 137 members to confirm the dismissal of the sovereign, who in turn has the power to dissolve Congress and call a snap general election.
In case of revocation, the vice president would assume the first judiciary until the year 2025.
According to assembly member Fernando Cedeño (Unes), the call It should be this Monday, that is, one day after the renewal of the Assembly’s authorities scheduled for this Sunday, May 14th. And the process should go ahead even if President Lasso does not participate in the session.
The Assembly, which this Sunday will elect the new president and two deputies to complete the current four-year constitutional period, must set the date for the trial by next week, which will take place even in the absence of the president.
lace, a former right-wing banker that drags high unpopularity He is accused of embezzlement under an oil transport contract signed before he took office two years ago.
Cucalón insisted on the same position as Lasso, in the sense that “the president of the republic did not commit embezzlement Some”.
“Until now there is no evidence They haven’t been able to prove it because it doesn’t exist,” the minister said.
“This process was born, developed and will end without any proof, without any discussion and with many vices,” said Cucalón.
The opposition led by the left-wing Revolución Ciudadana movement, led by former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017) -based in Belgium-, accuses Lasso of embezzlement in the management of the state-owned Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (Flopec) through contracts entered into between 2018 and 2020.
Correísmo has a majority in Congress with about 50 seats, while the official party Creating Opportunity (CREO) He only has a dozen.
AFP extension
ap
Source: Clarin
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