Ecuador: President Lasso suspends dialogue with the natives and escapes dismissal
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso escaped impeachment.
Here during an interview in Quito, April 26, 2022. REUTERS - SANTIAGO ARCOS
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A few hours after suspending dialogue with the indigenous leaders at the head of the movement against the high cost of living in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso escaped dismissal on Tuesday evening June 28 with the rejection by Parliament of a motion making him responsible for this political crisis.
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The motion, which intended to dismiss the president elected in May 2021 for his mismanagement of the demonstrations which have paralyzed the country for two weeks, only gathered 80 votes from deputies out of the 92 necessary, according to the results announced overnight. outcome of a virtual session of the National Assembly.
"
Dead end in this process of dialogue
"
The parliamentary opposition is in the majority within the Assembly (unicameral parliament which has 137 deputies) but is divided.
48 deputies voted against the motion, introduced by the party of former socialist president Rafael Correa, in power from 2007 to 2017.
The same day, Guillermo Lasso Lasso announced the suspension of the dialogue initiated on Monday with the leaders of the demonstrators, justifying his decision by the death of a soldier in an attack the previous night.
"
We will not sit down again to dialogue with Leonidas Iza who only defends his political interests and not those of his base
", declared the conservative head of state in a short speech, denouncing a "
criminal attack
".
►Also read: Leonidas Iza, the inflexible leader at the head of the indigenous movement in Ecuador
Leonidas Iza is the head of the powerful Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (Conaie), spearheading the protests that have paralyzed Ecuador for more than two weeks to demand, in particular, a drop in fuel prices.
"
Authoritarianism
" and "
lack of will
" of the government
In addition to the soldier killed, five demonstrators perished in violence with the security forces and more than 500 people, civilians or members of the security forces, were injured.
“
The country has witnessed all the efforts we have made to establish a fruitful and sincere dialogue (...).
To our indigenous brothers and sisters, you deserve better than an opportunistic leader who cheated on you
,” said President Lasso.
"
Only when there are legitimate representatives of all the peoples and nationalities of Ecuador, who seek real solutions and are open to real and frank dialogue, will we come back to the dialogue
”, he set as a condition.
La Conaie immediately reacted by accusing the government of “
authoritarianism
” and “
lack of will
”.
"
We hold Guillermo Lasso responsible for the consequences of his warmongering policy
(...)
Lasso does not break with Leonidas, he breaks with the people
", thundered the organization on Twitter.
El gobierno rompe el diálogo confirmando su autoritarismo, falta de voluntad e incapacidad.
Responsabilizamos a @LassoGuillermo de las consecuencias de su política bellicista.
Exigimos respect para nuestro máximo líder.
Lasso no rompe con Leonidas, rompe con el pueblo.#CONAIE pic.twitter.com/uPJkPYysoL
— CONAIE (@CONAIE_Ecuador) June 28, 2022
“
We are currently at an impasse in this dialogue process, but we are leaving the door open
,” the head of Conaie reacted later.
“
We want peace!
Stay united, (...) do not take action
, ”he told several dozen of his supporters gathered in front of the neo-Gothic basilica.
That very morning, the government did not show up for the discussions begun the day before in Quito with indigenous representatives, including Mr. Iza, which are taking place in an annex of the great Catholic basilica in the capital.
After more than two weeks of blockades and several episodes of violence, including two attempts to intrude protesters into the precincts of Parliament, indigenous representatives and the government delegation were nevertheless expected to move towards a way out of the crisis on Tuesday.
(
With
AFP)
►Also read
: Ecuador announces lower fuel prices, at the origin of the dispute
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Ecuador
Guillermo Lasso