By Alexandra Valencia
QUITO (Reuters) – There is more than enough evidence that corruption at a public company was allowed by Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso, justifying his removal from office, an opposition lawmaker testified to congress on Wednesday.
Opposition lawmakers have pushed impeachment hearings against the conservative former banker, alleging Lasso disregarded embezzlement connected to an oil shipping contract between public company Flopec and a private sector business.
Lasso has denied wrongdoing, pointing out the contract was signed in 2018, three years before he took office, and that his administration negotiated profitable changes to it.
Lasso did “nothing” when warned about irregularities in the contract, opposition lawmaker Viviana Veloz testified to the congressional oversight committee tasked with recommending whether or not Lasso should be removed.
“That’s why he should be censured and removed, this is the constitutional truth and the political truth that many are trying to hide from the Ecuadorean people,” said Veloz, who presented letters and video she said showed Lasso’s guilt. “There is more than enough proof of acts of corruption at Flopec.”
Lasso’s lawyer is also expected to testify on Wednesday, the hearings’ final day.
Though Lasso has largely failed to rectify rising insecurity and street crime – a top concern for voters – some Ecuadoreans said his removal was not the solution.
“The hearings are a waste of time and resources, we don’t need this when the country is controlled by criminals,” said 60-year-old Yolanda Proano in Quito. “If they end up kicking him out things won’t get better, it will be worse for the economy, for employment.”
The committee will have 10 days to prepare its report. The impeachment hearings are the first in decades.
Opposition lawmakers – many allied with former President Rafael Correa, himself convicted of corruption – would need 92 of 137 legislators to favor removing Lasso if the process goes to the full chamber.
Lasso allies have said they have enough backing to block impeachment.
Under Ecuador’s constitution, Lasso could call elections for his post and the assembly instead of facing the impeachment vote.
Another opposition lawmaker said they have complained to the attorney general’s office over Lasso’s alleged connections to Flopec corruption.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito,; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Josie Kao)
