Ecuador: Why did Guillermo Lasso dissolve the Congress?

Finally, the president of Ecuador William Lasso decided to use the trump card in the political process that the opposition was carrying out against him in Congress and which was already in its final phase this week.

Everything indicated that the opposition – dispersed, but with a majority in Parliament – would be able to muster the 92 votes needed to remove the president when the debates conclude this weekend.

Lasso, who has just 25 members of the assembly out of a total of 137, has been in power since May 2021, was elected to a four-year term and did not have enough votes to escape impeachment.

cross death

After defending himself this Tuesday, claiming his innocence accused of embezzlement, and arguing that there is no evidence against him, Lasso resorted to a constitutional mechanism to avoid being removed and put an end to the impeachment process: he dissolved the Congress.

He did so using what is referred to as “cross-death”: this constitutional resource now allows him to close Parliament, call general elections, stand as a candidate and govern for up to six months by decree with the scrutiny of the Constitutional Court.

On a radio and television channel, Lasso justified the measure by assuring that “all the efforts of the legislative branch are concentrated on destabilizing the government”.

The winners of the elections he will complete the current presidential term and legislative ending in May 2025.

Lasso’s decision is based in article 148 of the Constitution which gives the president the power to dissolve the legislature just oncewithin the first three years of his mandate, for three reasons: when the Assembly has taken on functions that do not correspond to it, due to an obstacle to the national development plan or due to a serious political crisis and internal unrest.

The president maintained a bad relationship with the legislator, whose members he accused of asking him for state offices, the management of public institutions such as hospitals and even cash in exchange for votes.

The Assembly was evicted at dawn and a strong police and military contingent in its vicinity prevents the passage.

The situation remains apparently calm in the streets and there is still no pronouncement from the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities, which in recent years has carried out mobilizations and protests that have practically paralyzed the country.

What’s next

Now the National Electoral Council has to call presidential and parliamentary elections, which it willThey must be fulfilled within a maximum period of 90 days. While the constitution does not specify a length of time for this process, it is estimated that it could take anywhere from four to six months. Lasso could apply.

Lawyer and constitutional lawyer Ismael Quintana told the Associated Press that Lasso has the power to rule by decree even if they it can only be cheap and it is the Constitutional Court that decides whether they are valid or not.

He specified, however, that these decrees could be rendered null and void by decision of the new legislative majority which is elected with early elections, since according to the constitution it must submit the decisions of the Executive to review.

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