May 17, 2023
Rafael Correa, photo: Patricio Realpe / LatinContent
Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso has dissolved the National Assembly for “serious political crisis and internal commotion” and with that new elections will be called in six months for both the presidency and the legislature. Meanwhile Lasso will rule by presidential decree during that time.
Former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa (2007-2017) said that the decision of Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso to dissolve the National Assembly “is not constitutional”.
In an interview with RT, the former president explained that Lasso argued that there was “serious political crisis and internal commotion”, prompting him to invoke Article 148 of the Constitution, known as the cross – death, however, this situation “does not exist” in the South American country.
Therefore, Correa considered that “Lasso is breaking the Constitution”; however, he pointed out that the positive aspect of the measure is that it leads to new elections, since according to the same article of the Constitution, legislative and presidential elections must be called.
“I believe that it is the best solution, that a new government can be elected […] it is an escape valve for the serious crisis we have”, he emphasized.
Correa was confident that the current administration would lose in the upcoming elections. “Lasso is a great democratic fraud, he came to the presidency full of lies; during his term in office, in addition to not fulfilling all his electoral promises, he showed great ineptitude, corruption scandals everywhere and unprecedented violence”, he emphasized.
Currently, Correism is the main political force in the country, after its triumph in the sectional elections held last February 5. In those elections, the Citizen Revolution won at least 59 of the 244 seats that were in dispute at the level of provincial prefectures and mayorships.
The ruling party Movimiento Creando Oportunidades (CREO), was in fifth place in terms of elected authorities in these elections, obtaining only 25 authorities, all at the mayoral level, since there are no prefects elected by this group. Above this party were the indigenist Pachakitik (34 authorities), the Social Christian Party (with 30) and the United Society Plus Action Party (with 26).
“We are by far the most important movement and with the help of God and the Ecuadorian people, and never trusting ourselves, always working as if we did not have a single vote, we will win the next elections”, stressed Correa.
Decision of the Constitutional Court
The Ecuadorian president issued the decree while the National Assembly was conducting an impeachment trial against him for the alleged crime of embezzlement through the misappropriation of public funds.
Correa explained that the scenario after the issuance of the decree is not yet established, due to the fact that there are political sectors in the National Assembly that have already announced the filing of unconstitutionality lawsuits before the Constitutional Court against the measure.
He pointed out that “if these actions are won” Lasso’s decree would be repealed” and the impeachment process against him in Congress would continue. But, if Lasso’s decision remains valid, the President has six months to govern by decree, prior favorable opinion of the Constitutional Court.
In fact, after Executive Decree 741 on the cross death, Lasso also issued Executive Decree 742, on the “Organic Law for the Strengthening of the Family Economy”, with tax reforms, which will be sent to the Constitutional Court for its opinion that must be rendered in 7 days.
Source: RT, translation Resumen Latinoamericano – US