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image source, AFP
The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, repealed this Saturday the state of exception “due to serious internal commotion”, one of the requests of indigenous groups that are the protagonists of the protests that have convulsed the country for 13 days and that have left at least 6 dead. .
The announcement took place while the plenary session of the National Assembly held a virtual session to discuss, as the only point, a request for the removal of Lasso, promoted by the legislators who follow the former president. Rafael Correa.
More than 40 congressmen collected the necessary votes on Friday to start the process against the president, who is experiencing one of the worst crises of his government due to the demonstrations.
Among the main claims of those protesting is the decrease in fuel prices and greater social investment in sectors such as health and education.
Several cities are cut off at various points due to roadblocks, which has led to shortages of some products.
The answer
In response to the protests, Lasso had decreed a state of emergency in several provinces of the country on June 18, although the measure failed to control the chaos that Ecuador has experienced since then.
The Correísta deputies considered that one of the arguments for the president’s dismissal was the “serious internal commotion due to the wave of protests.”
However, the Legal Secretary of the Presidency, Fabian Wellwho participated in the session on behalf of the president, assured that without the decree the congressmen no longer had arguments to consider that there is “serious internal commotion”, one of the causes to activate the impeachment process.
image source, AFP
The correísta bench seeks Lasso’s dismissal.
With this decision, the government “ratifies the willingness to guarantee the creation of spaces for peace in which Ecuadorians can gradually resume their activities,” the Presidency’s Communications Secretariat said in a statement.
After the debate in the Assembly, the congressmen have 72 hours to vote for the continuity of the president.
However, to remove him from office, the vote of at least 92 of the 137 legislators is required, an amount that local media estimate is difficult to achieve, given that Correismo only has 50 seats.
Ecuador has been experiencing intense protests since June 13, which have been marked by roadblocks and violent clashes between the police and protesters.
This Saturday there was a first rapprochement between Leonidas Izathe indigenous leader leading the protests, and government representatives.
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