National Assembly of Ecuador approves report that recommends impeachment of President Lasso

Ecuador’s National Assembly voted on Saturday in favor of a report that recommends opening impeachment proceedings against President Guillermo Lasso, accusing him of business corruption in public companies.

The report, which is not binding, was approved by 104 of Ecuador’s 137 legislators in an expected rejection of the leadership of Lasso, who has an antagonistic relationship with members of the Assembly.

The report was presented Wednesday by a commission of seven lawmakers, mostly from the opposition, which examined allegations about contracts at Ecuadorian state-owned companies in exchange for bribes and a leak from a police investigation into alleged drug trafficking.

The report concluded that Lasso could have been involved in possible crimes against state security and public administration, claims rejected by the government.

The government has called the report an “attack on reason” and said its findings are based on coincidence and conjecture.

“The report approved by the National Assembly lacks logical, probative and legal support,” Lasso said on his Twitter account. “However, I have arranged to answer with absolute transparency and speed all the requirements of the @FiscaliaEcuador to clarify any doubt,” he added.

For impeachment hearings to go ahead, a lawmaker must present impeaching evidence against Lasso with the support of 46 other lawmakers, and the Constitutional Court must approve the procedure.

The political movement of former president Rafael Correa has said that his legislators could present this evidence.

“Justice for the people! There is clear evidence of crimes against the public administration and state security,” legislator Sofía Espín Reyes, a member of the political bloc dominated by Correa, said on Twitter.

Lasso, a former conservative banker, does not have a majority in the National Assembly and has repeatedly clashed with lawmakers, some of whom tried to oust him amid protests in 2022.

Other options are available to remove Lasso from power even if impeachment hearings cannot go forward, opposition lawmakers have said, even threatening to call protests.

Last week, the indigenous organization CONAIE called for Lasso’s resignation and has scheduled a day of marches for March 8.