First modification:
The Ecuadorian president revealed to the US outlet ‘The Washington Post’ that he is not planning to be a candidate in these extraordinary elections scheduled for August 20 of this year and assured that he does not care who replaces him. He said that he will use his last months in power to push through security, infrastructure, education and health reforms.
Just two days after dissolving the National Assembly and avoiding impeachment against him, Guillermo Lasso told the outlet ‘The Washington Post‘ that his objective is not “to prevent someone from returning to Ecuador,” referring to the party of his leftist rival Rafael Correa, who was one of the longest-serving presidents and who also has broad support in the country of about 18 million people.
The announcement of the early elections came as a result of the constitutional measure used by the president, known as “cross death”, with which he dissolved the National Assembly while this body was advancing in a political trial against him on accusations of embezzlement of public funds. .
I have signed Executive Decree 741, with the objective of dissolving the National Assembly and requesting the CNE to call elections.
Ecuadorians: this is the best decision to give a constitutional solution to the political crisis and
internal commotion that supports…— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) May 17, 2023
Lasso has repeatedly denied that these accusations are true and has assured that they are just “political maneuvers” to wrest power from him.
Regarding the constitutional measure that he deployed on Wednesday, Lasso said that it was an “act of generosity for the country”, since now his presidential term is shortened and someone else may come to govern.
“With this, the common interest of Ecuadorians is achieved (…) And we avoid continuing to see this embarrassing spectacle of fights between politicians,” he told the American media.
According to the Ecuadorian constitution, the “cross death”, which was added while Correa was in office, allows the head of state to dissolve the National Assembly under three causes or scenarios: due to a serious political crisis and internal commotion, when, according to him, he determines that the legislative branch grant functions that do not correspond to him or if the president in charge considers that legislators are hindering his ability to govern.
For this occasion, which was established as the first time that a president of that country uses this measure, the president alleged a “serious political crisis and internal commotion,” and immediately cut his total stay in office from four to two years. the power.
Lasso also revealed to ‘The Washington Post’ that the decision he made on Wednesday was not something “last minute”, but that he had thought about this measure for days before and that only when he was sure that he had the support of the military decided to carry it out.
Mmmmm…?
Doesn’t anticipating elections -cross death- benefit the Ecuadorian people?
Do you already feel like losers?
Think about the Homeland, not about your posts.
They are right that it is unconstitutional. We always said it, but you also put that CC.
See you at the polls ? pic.twitter.com/G9UAkZfY9l— Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) May 19, 2023
The opposition and the leaders of the powerful indigenous movement in Ecuador assured that they will call demonstrations to show their discontent with the president’s action and, for some political analysts in the country, “Lasso is not running because he does not have enough support to win.”
The president came to power in May 2021 with 70% credibility and without having reached half of his term, which was scheduled to run until 2025, this index fell to 10% according to the private opinion polling firm Perfiles de Opinión.
The Constitutional Court rejects lawsuits against the “cross death”
In a move within the president’s plans, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court rejected six lawsuits filed against Lasso’s “cross death” decree.
The Court said, through a statement, that the courts of constitutional judges that reviewed the lawsuits decided to reject them “unanimously.”
“The three courts that make up the Admission Chamber of the Constitutional Court (…) issued six orders”, through which they “unanimously decided to reject the unconstitutionality claims”, reads the bulletin of the high court.
The Constitutional Court unanimously rejected the demands for unconstitutionality regarding the dissolution of the @AsambleaEcuador. Just like the Court, no judicial authority can rule on the verification and motivation of the cause of political crisis and commotion… https://t.co/MJGqWCCuv7
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) May 19, 2023
What will Lasso focus on in what remains of the Government?
The countdown began since the “cross death” was deployed, May 24 is the day on which the country must officially call early general elections as reported by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
With this scenario developing behind the last days of the president, Lasso told ‘The Washington Post’ that he intends to be one of the few center-right presidents in the region who carry out executive orders focused on security, health, education and infrastructure. .
The first of these to come to fruition, he said, is a decree that would increase protections for security forces that use their weapons to defend themselves and others. A plan that he expects to be announced next week.
With Reuters and local media
