The ruling party imposes upon all members in the New Assembly

After the first plenary session of the new National Assembly held yesterday, between cheers of friends and family of the assembly members, the modus operandi of the next legislative period has been set, and it establishes the ruling party Alianza PAIS (AP) imposing with its 100 assembly members and the little opposition as an unimportant minority.

AP assembly members walking to the Legislative Palace.

To the already-historical majority of votes in AP, they were supported by other government members such as Avanza movement and representatives of local movements, leaving a total of 108 votes in favor to the Government in the plenary.

Although the positions of president and first and second vice president, were already appointed  several days ago to Gabriela Rivadeneira, Rosana Alvarado and Marcela Aguinaga respectively, the opposition with zero chance of being heard, also proposed names. Lourdes Tiban (PK) postulated her colleague Jose Acacho for president, and Luis Fernando Torres (PSC-CREO) proposed Cesar Umajinga (PK) as first vice-president.

Pachakutik (PK) assembly members walking to the Legislative Palace.

While their applications were rejected, the opposition could feel the exclusion and its zero influence when making decisions. Not only because of the lack of votes, but by AP’s position of not hearing their requests.

One of those inconveniences occurred between Rivadeneira and her colleague Andres Paez (CREO), who questioned the appointment of Alexandra Ocles after the departure of Fernando Cordero, who was the second most voted National Assembly member, because he felt that the replacement belonged to the fourth most voted of the ruling party.

Paez’ observation prompted a harsh response from Virgilio Hernandez (AP), who called it another “move” to boycott the work of the new Assembly, since they lost the elections.

On behalf of Hernandez’ response, Tiban intervened for being qualified as losers and reminded him that when he was part of PK, he was defeated in previous elections and warned that the vote of the government Assembly members is just the result of Government support. “The assembly members of AP know that if they run for another political movement, they will not even make it as a member of a parish board,” said Tiban.