Three countries and the OAS support democracy in Ecuador

QUITO (AP) — The leaders of Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic issued a pro-democracy statement on Monday, in addition to that of the Organization of American States, in support of democracy in Ecuador, when the National Assembly of this country advances a possible political lawsuit and a dismissal against the president, Guillermo Lasso.

The three countries, whose representatives were in the Ecuadorian capital at a meeting of the Alliance for Development in Democracy, said in a statement that, faithful to their commitment to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, “they reiterate their firm support for democracy in Ecuador and the government of the democratically elected President Guillermo Lasso”.

They also expressed their concern at recent events “tending to destabilize a government elected by the popular will”, while calling on the various sectors to guarantee the constitutional period.

In the Ecuadorian Assembly, the proposal to impeach and impeach Lasso maintains majority support, but the decision will later be adopted by the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether it meets the formal and constitutional requirements to prosecute the 67-year-old leader. years. This process is not yet imminent.

On Sunday, the OAS expressed the absolute importance of adherence to democratic institutions and “respect for the stability of democratic periods” and called on Ecuadorian political and social actors to frame the resolution of their disputes within the constitutional context.

Last week, a predominantly opposition legislative committee presented a report to parliament on an alleged case of corruption and alleged links of those close to power with criminal groups and recommended that Lasso be put on political trial.

This commission spent almost three weeks analyzing information about an alleged corruption case called “The Great Godfather”, which began with a police investigation into drug traffickers and led to possible links between Danilo Carrera, the beau- brother of the president, and a former official Hernán Luque with these groups.

If the request of the legislators is accepted in all instances, it must return to the Legislative Body, in two or three weeks, to formally open the trial, which could take a month. For recall, at least 92 lawmakers must vote in favor out of a total of 137.

Government Minister Henry Cucalón defended Lasso, arguing that the legislative report lacks legal validity and that the real intention is to “configure a political trial against the President of the Republic” not as an act of “surveillance, but of obvious destabilization”.

The case was made public on the digital portal La Posta, which revealed a police investigation report from June 2022 to January 2023, when it was archived on the recommendation of the court and the prosecution for lack of evidence.

This is the second time the legislature has sought to remove the president from power. The first time was in June last year, when he failed to secure the necessary 92 votes after an indigenous movement strike that led to violent protests for nearly three weeks demanding a reduction in fuel prices. Lasso, a former right-wing banker, began his four-year term in May 2021.