2023-05-16 19:20:43
The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lassodefended himself this Tuesday once morest the accusation of alleged embezzlement and stated that he is “totally, evidently and unquestionably innocent” during the beginning of the political trial of censorship once morest him that takes place in the National Assembly (Parliament).
Congress requires 92 of the 137 votes to dismiss Lasso, accused of alleged embezzlement in the management of the state shipping company Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (Flopec).
According to the complaints, the president, in power since 2021, he continued with a contract signed before his possession for the transportation of crude oil with the international group Amazonas Tanker, which left losses of more than six million dollars.
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Instead, the president’s defense maintains that the contracts were signed under the previous administration of former President Lenín Moreno (2017-2021) and that under Lasso’s mandate a review was requested from the Comptroller’s Office (Court of Accounts) to renew them under the conditions and observations made by that body.
(Also read: President of Ecuador will appear before Congress for impeachment once morest him)
In the session on Tuesday, which was installed at 10 in the morning, the two legislators designated as interpellants intervened. For two hours, the legislators supported the accusation once morest the president.
Then, President Guillermo Lasso had the opportunity to defend himself once morest the accusation. Despite the fact that he had three hours available to exercise his defense, the president used only 49 minutes.
During his speech, Lasso accused the legislators of not putting the interests of the citizenry above and of accusing him without evidence or witnesses in this new trial once morest him.
After the president’s intervention, there will be the right to reply and later the debate will be opened.
During the debate period, each legislator will have 10 minutes to intervene. Then, Voting will take place 72 hours following the aforementioned debate has ended.
Follow the Minute by minute of the political trial, Guillermo Lasso tells in the Ecuadorian Congress.
(Also: A difficult May for Ecuador and its political stability)
Minute by minute of the political trial
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
TIME
Assembly suspends session
The president of the Assembly suspended the impeachment session. It will resume at 3 in the followingnoon, when legislators will be able to demonstrate and speak for a maximum period of 10 minutes each.
Lasso ends his defense
The president finished his defense before the National Assembly around 2:09 pm Although he had three hours to defend himself, his team had told local media that Lasso would speak less time due to his health problems (he underwent surgery a few months ago), which prevents him from staying on his feet for longer.
The president spoke for a time of 49 minutes. Lasso has already left the Chamber of the Assembly.
Lasso asks to prioritize the country’s problems
Lasso affirmed that Ecuador’s problems such as growing insecurity, they will not be solved while the Congress and the Executive concentrate on a fight for his impeachment. He asked that the problems of citizenship be the priority of the country.
President talks regarding his achievements and priorities
The president began to talk regarding the achievements of his term. He mentioned Ecuador’s minimum wage and his vaccination achievements during the covid-19 pandemic. He spoke regarding the external debt and regarding the protection of Galapagos.
He said that his government has achieved stability despite attempts at institutional sabotage.
Lasso calls on assembly members to vote once morest his dismissal
The president affirmed that much more is at stake in the impeachment trial than his permanence and called on the assembly members to change the narrative.
“This is not regarding whether or not a president is saved, but regarding preserving the functioning of our democracy. What is at stake is not merely the viability of a government, but of Ecuador as a state,” he said.
President attacks legislators
Lasso directly attacked the congressmen and accused them of having abandoned their role as legislators. “You don’t create laws, you destroy them. You don’t strengthen norms, you weaken them,” he said.
In addition, he accused them of trying to destroy the credibility of their government, and even of democracy, and He accused them of renouncing their objective of seeking the well-being of the citizenry.
“I accuse them of trying to tip the scales of justice,” he added.
‘There are no relevant witnesses’
The president also stated before the Assembly that there are no witnesses to the alleged crime of embezzlement and that, therefore, there is no accusation report once morest him.
“There is no evidence or relevant testimonies. The only thing there is information that proves my total, evident and unquestionable innocence,” he emphasized.
‘They try to find me guilty of what I did not do’
“On March 23, 2022, more than a year ago, I sent the entire file on Flopec to the State Attorney General’s Office, but the interpellants do not want to see this,” said the president, adding that the interpellants try to find him guilty of what he himself has denounced.
In his speech in the Assembly, Lasso recalled that the Flopec contract was signed during the previous government and affirmed that he and his team followed the recommendations of the Comptroller’s Office regarding said contract.
Lasso speaks before the plenary session of the Assembly
To the applause of his sympathizing parties, President Guillermo Lasso entered the Assembly hall to defend himself once morest the accusations of alleged embezzlement.
Lasso greeted the president of the Assembly and walked to the podium to begin his statement. About 1:21 in the followingnoon, he began defending him.
Protesters back Lasso
The ruler’s followers continued in the followingnoon waving Ecuadorian flags, shouting once morest the assembly members and holding signs with slogans such as “Long live democracy!” and “We defend democracy and peace.”
Everything ready for Lasso’s intervention
At this time the National Assembly of Ecuador is ready to listen to President Guillermo Lasso. The president will have three hours to respond to the accusations once morest him.
Lasso arrived at the Assembly headquarters following 12:40 pm, according to local media reports. He must enter the plenary session in moments to defend him.
Concludes the intervention of interpellants
Esteban Torres, from the Social Christian Party (PSC), was the second and last questioner in the presentation of the case once morest Guillermo Lasso.
During his speech, which lasted just over half an hour, Torres claimed that Lasso failed and betrayed the will of the country.
He added that the vice president must assume the mandate of the country and open a new stage for Ecuador.
Assembly members intervene
At this time, the two parliamentarians designated to present the accusation once morest President Lasso are speaking in the Ecuadorian Assembly.
Assemblywoman Viviana Veloz presents the evidence once morest Lasso and assures that the president will have to answer to the country and will not be able to hide.
“History will remember him as the one who destroyed the lives of Ecuadorians,” he said.
Lasso is pronounced on Twitter
The Ecuadorian president spoke before going to the Assembly to defend himself once morest the accusations once morest him.
Through his Twitter account, Lasso affirmed that the country is asking for the irrational confrontation to end (referring to the relationship between the Executive and the legislature) and assured that it will defend itself once morest the trial without evidence.
Impeachment trial begins once morest Lasso
The parliamentary session in which the political trial of censorship once morest the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, will take place, began this Tuesday in the National Assembly.
In the session, which began at 10:17 local time with the presence of 109 assembly members, the two designated interpellants will intervene first, before giving way to the participation of Lasso.
Government says it is preparing ‘cross death’
To save himself from trial, Lasso has the constitutional option of dissolving Congress to make way for early general elections. That option is known as “cross-death.”
This Monday, the Legal Secretary of the Presidency, Juan Pablo Ortiz, stated in an interview that the government already has the decree ready to apply the cross death.
Lasso supporters gather
Supporters of the President of Ecuador, Guillermo
Lasso, met this Tuesday near the National Assembly (Parliament), hours before the impeachment trial begins.
The supporters, who carry flags of the pro-government Creando Oportunidades (CREO) movement, gathered in El Arbolito park, where a giant screen was placed to follow the impeachment process.
OEA asks for guarantees in the trial
The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) asked this Monday that the impeachment trial facing the Ecuadorian president offer “guarantees” and respect due process.
“The principle must be respect for the constitutional mandates of presidents elected by popular vote, that the presidential terms and terms are exercised with more full right, without pressure or threats,” the OAS said in a statement.
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