The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, in December 2022. Photo: Mandel Ngan/ AFP
Ecuador’s National Assembly adopted on Thursday, with 116 votes in favor, one against and seven abstentions, a draft resolution holding former President Guillermo Lasso responsible for the crime of embezzlement.
ANDEmbezzlement is a crime against public administration and is defined as the improper use of a public office to gain direct or indirect advantage.
The congressmen chose the position of accusing former President Guillermo Lasso of embezzlement in the contract renewal between the public company Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana and the Amazonas Tanker Pool Company LLC.
The legislature also agreed to accuse Lasso of “using crucifixion to evade responsibility” and to share the contents of the resolution and the entire file with the Ecuadorian Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ecuadorian Comptroller’s Office.
In the plenary session of the debate there was also the possibility of censoring the former president, but according to MP Lucia Posso in a statement to local media, “there was no legal argument for censorship.”
For his part, the member of the Assembly, Camilo Salinas, said that the result of the National Assembly and the Ecuadorian people is a “total rejection” of the leadership of Guillermo Lasso.
Although Lasso cannot be removed since President Daniel Noboa took office last week, Ecuador’s National Assembly has decided to move forward with the impeachment process.
(With information from Telesur)