The Ecuadorian legislature decided to impeach President Laso

(CNN Spanish) –– With 88 votes in favor, Ecuador’s National Assembly decided to proceed with a political case against President Guillermo Lasso, alleging corruption.

The decision comes three days after Ecuador’s supervisory commission failed to get the necessary votes to approve a report recommending “no” to prosecuting Lasso. The text of the report indicated that during the impeachment proceedings, the Supervisory Commission could not prove that President Lasso was part of the structure for the embezzlement of public funds.

The report received 5 votes against and 4 votes in favor of the Commission’s legislators.

Last March, the Constitutional Court agreed that the Legislature was continuing the impeachment process against Lasso over an oil transport contract between Ecuadorian Oil Fleet (Flopec) and Amazonas Tankers, which could damage state coffers.

However, the State Comptroller General, Carlos Riofrio, during the trial phase at the Audit Commission, after the audit of the contract signed in 2018 (before the government of Lazo), was not recommended for its unilateral conclusion and although there is a draft report with signs of criminal responsibility for 6 million US dollars, Riofrio, “there is no fraud” , that is, because the person did not act with intent to cause damage by act or omission, it was never authorized. Penal Code of Ecuador.

During an interview with Andrés Oppenheimer last April, Guillermo Lasso assured that he did not commit fraud, so he “decided to go to the National Assembly and defend myself, because I have to defend my honor, I did not commit fraud. I have to tell all the legislators” He said then.

With information from Ana María Cañizares and Andrés Oppenheimer.