Ecuador: Parliament debates removal action against head of state

Ecuadorian delegates began discussing the opposition’s move to oust Conservative President Guillermo Lasso on Saturday evening, the same evening a week before the state of emergency was declared.

At the request of the delegates supporting former Socialist President Rafael Correa (2007-2017), a House of Commons convened shortly after 6:00 pm local time (2300 GMT).

The parliament said on its Twitter account that 135 (out of 137) assembly members are participating in the session. They discuss the allegations against Lasso because of the “severe political crisis and internal unrest” in the country.

The opposition, despite a majority, has split within the legislature and blamed the president for the “severe political crisis” that has rocked the country since June 13 with daily protests and street protests.

During the one-year rule, the latter will be able to speak with representatives, although it is not specified in any form that the head of state has recently been diagnosed with Govt-19 disease.

After the debates, the delegates will have 72 hours to vote. A majority of 92 out of 137 votes is required to pass the impeachment procedure.

On Saturday evening, President Lasso ended a state of emergency declared eight days earlier in six of the country’s 24 provinces hardest hit by a new order issued by the president’s office.

The curfew prompted the army to mobilize and issue a seven-hour night curfew in three provinces, including Quito-based Pichincha.

Nearly 14,000 tribal protesters have been mobilized across the country against the rising cost of living, especially the demand for lower fuel prices, according to police, who estimate their number in the capital at nearly 10,000.

– Conversation Attempt –

The debates began on the same day as the first attempt at dialogue between the leaders of the domestic movement and several government ministers, sponsored by parliamentary speaker Virgilio Chaczela.

“We asked for a dialogue to be opened. (…) This conversation has started, there is no commitment, but it has been decided by Connie (the organization leading the protests) to consult its site to appoint a commission to start this conversation,” he said. Sakisela explained to reporters. “The government has shown itself openly,” it ruled.

On Friday, President Lazo, who recently won the support of the military, accused the protesters of wanting to “conspire”.

Six people were killed and dozens injured in the violence. Quito was mostly paralyzed and its access was blocked by several roadblocks. Protesters twice tried to enter the National Assembly premises on Thursday and Friday, from where they were chased away by police.

On Saturday morning, hundreds of tribal women held traditional ceremonies in northern Quito before marching with anti-government slogans.

“The basic food basket is very expensive and our agricultural produce (…) is not worth anything,” explained Miguel Tade, 39, a potato grower in Simborazo (southern).

Wilmer Umajinga, 35, who has been fighting in the capital since Monday, said: “We will continue to fight here until the end.

In Quito, residents are expressing their frustration with the lack of closed shops and some items. “Issa (leader of the protesters) get out! “.