Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso is close to a political trial after new audios and documents were released confirming his cover-up in investigations into corruption and drug trafficking.
MP Viviana Veloz from the Bank of the Unión por la Esperanza (UNES) reported that they have completed the drafting of the document to call for the political prosecution of the President, and among the arguments are his inaction on the illegal acts committed by that he knew.
According to lawmakers, the former CEO of Flota Petrolera Ecuatoriana (Flopec) Jhonny Estupiñán sent a letter to the head of state on March 22, 2022 to warn of acts of corruption in this joint stock company.
In the document, Estupiñán denounced that Hernán Luque Lecaro, who headed the board of directors of the Public Companies Coordinating Company, had created a scheme to illegally exploit the oil company’s resources, condemning lawmakers.
The digital outlet La Posta, in turn, released at least five audio recordings of three high-ranking police officers talking about dropping the investigation into León De Troya, which is dedicated to the links between the Albanian mafia and Lasso’s close circle through his brother-in-law Danilo Carrera.
Following these revelations, the President issued a statement denying that he had ordered the investigation to be dropped and reported that he had requested the dismissal of two of the generals involved from the ranks of the National Police.
In this context, the President of the National Assembly (Parliament) supported the opening of the impeachment process, assuring that this was not a “coup” as it was within the legal and constitutional framework.
Meanwhile, Ecuadorians continue to await the official presentation of the procedural motion, which requires several steps before a vote in plenary, including analysis by the Constitutional Court.