Ecuador's constitutional court gives green light to Lasso's impeachment

Ecuador’s constitutional court admitted the request to impeach President Guillermo Lasso that was presented by the national assembly.

The legislators accuse Lasso of the crimes of extortion and embezzlement in acts of corruption allegedly committed in state companies coordinator Emco, oil firm Petroecuador and maritime hydrocarbons transporter Flopec.

The country's highest court rejected the two accusations related to extortion, but admitted the accusation of alleged embezzlement at Flopec.

The court said the request presented and the procedure followed in the assembly respected the principles of political legitimacy and due process.

The petition was formally presented on March 16 to the assembly, with the support of 59 legislators, including members of former president Rafael Correa's political movement and the right-wing Social Christian party.

The request was based on an investigation by an opposition-controlled legislative commission that was launched after an online media outlet published allegations of corruption in state companies, in which Lasso's brother-in-law Danilo Carrera was said to be implicated.

The communications department said the government will respect the court’s ruling but that the decision does not validate the arguments of the lawmakers seeking Lasso’s impeachment.

"The assembly's position never had and never will have any legal or political basis," it said in a statement.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The impeachment request must now go to the oversight committee of congress, which has 30 days to present a report either recommending the case proceed or archiving the process.

The president and lawmakers must present their evidence to the committee. If it is decided to archive the case, that is the end of the process.

If the oversight committee recommends the case proceeds, it goes to the full legislature for debate, where Lasso will have the right to defend himself. 

To remove the president, the votes of two thirds or 92 of the members of the assembly are needed.

Lasso has not ruled out resorting to "cross death," a constitutional mechanism that empowers him to dissolve the national assembly to call early presidential and legislative elections, and govern by decree while the elections take place.

On Tuesday, the president of the confederation of indigenous nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), Leonidas Iza, argued Lasso cannot use that mechanism because it would mean a dictatorship.

Local analysts believe that the entire process could take at least a month and a half.