Incidents marked session on linking of Correa to case Balda

Ecuadornews:

The Legislative approved the resolution with 83 votes. In this way, Rafael Correa can be criminally linked. Outside there were incidents between sympathizers of the former president with the Police.

Less than 30 minutes lasted the session. In the end, the National Assembly declared inadmissible the request of Judge Daniela Camacho to criminally link former President Rafael Correa in the case of the alleged kidnapping of ex-legislator Fernando Balda.

Before the plenary session was installed, a group of legislators of the Citizen Revolution left the plenary session to greet supporters who were abroad. Minutes later there were incidents with the Police. According to the legislator Juan Cárdenas, what the public force tried was not to let them enter. This caused that the session, fixed for the 16:00, did not settle in the foreseen time.

However, the session was installed in the midst of the protests of the Citizens’ Revolution caucus, over the excesses abroad. The National Anthem did not overshadow the whispers among legislators, however, the vote was already agreed and it was only necessary to listen to the proponent of the motion, the independent assemblyman Fernando Burbano.

The Assemblyman moved a draft resolution to declare inappropriate the request of Judge Daniela Camacho. At his discretion, “citizen Rafael Correa is no longer president of the Republic,” as he said. Without giving way to the expected debate, the president of the Assembly, Elizabeth Cabezas, requested the vote of the parliamentarians.

Members of the Citizen Revolution caucus decided not to register their attendance, as they demanded that a prior debate be held. When she saw how her classmates registered, Gabriela Rivadeneira shouted from her seat: “I appeal to the Presidency.” Only the secretary of the Parliament replied: “It was already sent to a vote. The Presidency cannot appeal. ”

“I appeal to the Presidency,” she said again with the Constitution in her hands, while the votes were reflected in the register. The 83 affirmative votes supported Burbano. While Lira Villalva and Viviana Bonilla spoke negatively.

On the other hand, Marcela Aguiñaga, Verónica Arias, Soledad Buendía, Elizabeth Cabezas, María José Carrión, José Chalá, Carmen García, William Garzón, Verónica Guevara, Esteban Melo, Daniel Mendoza, Mauricio Proaño and Carlos Viteri abstained. Nor did the subsequent order of Assemblyman Fabricio Villamar.

The legislator for the CREO movement requested reconsideration of the vote. However, his motion received only three affirmative votes against 73 negatives and 16 abstentions. In this way, the inadmissibility of Judge Camacho’s request was reaffirmed. For this reconsideration, only 92 of the 115 assembly members with whom the session began were present. With the legislators outside their seats, and in the middle of an unusual movement in the room, Cabezas closed the session.

The right-wing caucuses celebrated the decision that they themselves moved, while for the PAIS Alliance block none spoke, even some left the site in a hurry. Only members of the Civic Revolution caucus insisted later that they would request the nullity of the session. With the vote of the plenary session, it is open for Judge Daniela Camacho to link former President Rafael Correa in the process of the supposed kidnapping of Fernando Balda.

Citizens summoned under the slogan “do not mess with Correa,” they waited until nightfall. The rain mingled with her tears, her screams, her clenched fists, her frown and her protest. The request of Judge Camacho requested that the Assembly give permission to link Correa in the criminal trial and for this it was necessary to have 92 votes. The plenary decided with a draft resolution to declare inadmissible, which was approved with 83 votes.

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/politica/3/asamblea-solicitud-improcedente-caso-balda