National Assembly Ecuador this Thursday declared the former president responsible for the crime of embezzlement (embezzlement) Guillermo Lasso (2021-2023) in the final vote in the impeachment trial, which the then-President interrupted six months ago, dissolving the House and forcing a special general election.

After being reinstated after the election, the Assembly continued the impeachment trial, although there was no longer an opportunity to remove Lasso. He left his post a week ago to succeed his successor, Daniel Noboa.The young 35-year-old businessman’s victory in the presidential election was due to a “crossed death” that allowed him to avoid his possible dismissal.

Legislative Assembly of Ecuador considered the accusation of theft justified against the conservative Lasso with 116 votes in favor, one against and seven abstentions, a decision that was approved in a second re-run.

This vote is the culmination of a long political process in which the opposition He intended to remove Lasso from power. in this process the opposition is led by Correism and the conservative Social Christian Party (PSC).

These two forces contributed to Lasso’s impeachment after alleged corruption plot came to light in state-owned companies apparently headed by his son-in-law, businessman Danilo Carrera, and with one of its members allegedly linked to the drug-trafficking mafia.

However, the Constitutional Court removed this case from criminal prosecution, in which was charged with an alleged concussion-related offense and left only waste, citing some contracts signed by the state oil fleet that allegedly caused “damage to the state for the benefit of third parties,” according to the resolution adopted by the Assembly.

The new composition of the Assembly after the elections again left Correismo and the PSC as the two dominant forces in the chamber and resumed the impeachment trial of Lasso, which before the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly there was a very minority group and now he has no representative from his CREO party.

Resolution approved by the plenary session of the Assembly of Ecuador This was done after the intervention of 67 members of the assembly.of whom 39 intervened on May 16, before the application of the “crossed out death”, and 27 between this Wednesday and Thursday, after the resumption of the session.

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The document, voted on by Correista assembly member Viviana Veloz, rejects “the actions of former President Lasso de use the “crossed death” figure during the impeachment process to avoid political liability and possible censure and dismissal; which constitutes a disastrous precedent against democracy.”

He also ordered immediate notification of the decision to the former president, as well as the prosecutor’s office and the Accounts Chamber (Accounts Chamber), “so that within the scope of their powers initiate appropriate investigation processes and control, since the facts that are the subject of this political charge suggest the commission of a criminal offense.” (EFE)