The Ecuadorian parliament wanted to impeach President Lasso for embezzlement. Now he has dissolved the National Assembly without further ado and can govern by decree for up to six months.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has dissolved the South American country’s parliament, which wanted to impeach him for embezzlement.
The National Electoral Council now has seven days to call presidential and parliamentary elections, which must be held within 90 days. Lasso can rule by decree for up to six months, overseen by the South American country’s Supreme Court.
Lasso refers to step as democratic
In a televised speech, Lasso accused parliament of focusing on “destabilizing the government”. He described his step as democratic because the people can now determine their future in the next elections.
MPs accuse the conservative president of failing to intervene in a contract between the state-owned company Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana and the private company Amazonas Tankers, which caused the state to lose millions. Lasso was aware of numerous inconsistencies in the contract and their consequences, the deputies said without submitting any evidence. Lasso denies the allegations.
Regardless of the procedure in Parliament, criminal investigations are ongoing. Prosecutors are reviewing the case but have not yet charged Lasso.
Armed forces warn of unrest
The ability to dissolve parliament and rule temporarily by decree was enshrined in the constitution in 2008 to avoid protracted periods of political paralysis. After Lasso’s decision, the Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, General Nelson Proaño, called for compliance with the law and warned against violent disruption of the constitutional order. Should there be unrest and violence, the armed forces and police would intervene vigorously.
While the military and security forces seem to be behind Lasso, the influential Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador reacted negatively. Lasso started “a cowardly self-coup” “with the help of the police and the armed forces, without the support of the citizens,” said the head of the indigenous association, Leonidas Iza Salazar.