The Plenary Session decided to “disallow the two charges related to the alleged crime of embezzlement and to allow the count of impeachment related to the alleged crime of embezzlement.”
The Constitutional Court (CC) of Ecuador this Wednesday allowed the political trial of President Guillermo Lasso in connection with the alleged crime of embezzlement.
In a statement, the country’s highest constitutional body said the plenary voted to allow “the two charges relating to the alleged crime of extortion and the charge of impeachment relating to the alleged crime of embezzlement.”
The CC mentioned that this decision was made by a qualified majority of six votes in favor and three saved votes (cast individually by Judges Teresa Nuques Martínez and Carmen Corral Ponce and Judge Enrique Herrería Bonnet).
It added that the analysis of the motion submitted by the National Assembly (Parliament) found that the first two charges brought – relating to the crime of concussion – do not meet the requirements of Article 148, paragraph 2, of the Organic Law on Judicial Guarantees and Constitutional Control (LOGJCC).
“Regarding the crime of embezzlement, on the contrary, it has been established that its wording forms part of the presumptions of admissibility set out in the above-mentioned article of the LOGJCC,” specified the CC.
This admissibility decision is the first time in Ecuador’s democratic history since the 2008 constitution came into force that a president of the republic has been called upon to be impeached in the National Assembly, stressed teleSUR’s Quito correspondent, Orlando Pérez.
The journalist explained that Parliament now has up to 30 days to process all constitutional mechanisms (defence, discharge, etc.).
After the parliamentary scrutiny committee has prepared a report detailing the charges, it is submitted to the full parliament for debate.
The ousting of the President of the Republic requires 92 votes from the 137 members of the Ecuadorian Parliament.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, President Lasso’s government said it respected the decision of the Constitutional Court but opposed the political trial and confirmed the head of state’s innocence.
(With information from TeleSUR)
