Ecuador opposition reacts to assembly dissolution

(17 May 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Quito, Ecuador - 17 May 2023
1. Various of Ecuadorian opposition figures holding briefing
2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Marcela Holguín, former vice president of Ecuadorian National Assembly:
"We understand that the country is screaming for change. And we know that the time has come for that change. The decree emitted this morning by President Guillermo Lasso is illegal. There isn't at this time in the country internal commotion or grave political crisis. The emitting of this 'crossed death' decree (constitutional decree used by Lasso) is just the triumph of the citizen revolution in a political trial that we proposed and that as questioners, carried out with absolute transparency and in defense of the truth."
3. Opposition figures at briefing
4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Marcela Holguín, former vice president of Ecuadorian National Assembly:
"What Lasso did this morning is just one thing: to impede the vote of the political trial that was the trial of history. It was a strategy taken at the last minute by a doomed president who once again clings to power, instead of resigning, going home and allowing Ecuador to re-emerge."
5.Opposition figures applauding at briefing
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Virgilio Hernández, leader Ecuador's Citizen Revolution Movement political party:
"At the same time, we say and reiterate that the president of the republic, once again, is acting outside the constitutional framework since there does not exist a (inaudible) to apply 'crossed death'. This is our position."
7. Opposition figures leaving after briefing, UPSOUND (Spanish) "Long live the revolution"
8. End of briefing

STORYLINE:
Ecuadorian opposition lawmakers on Wednesday slammed President Guillermo Lasso's move to dissolve the National Assembly as the strategy of a "doomed" leader who "clings to power".

Earlier in the day Lasso escalated Ecuador’s political crisis by dissolving the legislature just as it was forging ahead with impeachment proceedings to remove him from office on embezzlement allegations.

In disbanding the assembly, Lasso made first use of the Ecuador presidency’s nuclear option under the constitution in conflicts with the legislative branch, turning his country into the latest in Latin America where rival constitutional powers come to a head.

Known colloquially as the “crossed death,” the option to disband the congress and temporarily rule by decree was established in Ecuador’s constitution in 2008 as a means of avoiding protracted periods of political paralysis.

The conservative president, who has denied wrongdoing, can now govern for up to six months by decree under the oversight of Ecuador’s top court. While Lasso appeared to have the support of the country’s armed forces, his move swiftly drew pushback from critics who said his ouster had been imminent.

In a televised message, Lasso accused the National Assembly of focusing “on destabilizing the government.” He called his move “democratic” and described it as a way to give Ecuadorians “the power to decide their future in the next elections.”

Marcela Holguín, now the former vice president of the National Assembly, said the president's use of the constitutional decree had itself been "illegal".

Soon after Lasso's announcement, the South American country’s top military leader warned that the armed forces would act “firmly” if any violence erupts.

A strong contingent of military and police officers blocked access around the National Assembly building in Ecuador's capital, Quito.






Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...