Ecuador’s National Assembly To Review State of Emergency

On Saturday, the president of the National Assembly of Ecuador, Virgilio Saquicela, summoned the plenary of the Legislative to discuss the request to repeal the decree of President Guillermo Lasso that establishes the state of emergency, and to call for a dialogue between the parties involved in the indefinite national strike, which entered its seventh day this Sunday.

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According to local media, the legislative session will take place this Monday from 17H15 local time and will first examine the request of Mireya Pazmiño (Pachakutik) and other 71 legislators to repeal the state of emergency in the provinces of Pichincha, Cotopaxi and Imbabura.

In addition, the assembly members will discuss a resolution to call for a dialogue to solve the situation in the country, proposed for Tuesday, June 21 at the Legislative headquarters.

The president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), Leonidas Iza, and representatives of the sectors supporting the national strike will participate in this meeting, as well as Lasso and other powers of the State.

In the interest of avoiding further confrontations between the Police and the demonstrators, Saquicela pointed out: "We do not want the country to become convulsed. We believe that it is time for everyone to make the best decisions".

He insisted that, after analyzing the repeal issue, the national dialogue is the most important thing. "I am convinced that the call for dialogue between the President and the indigenous leaders will be approved", he said.

Local media report that at least 70 votes were needed for the Assembly's board of directors to convene the Plenary, but an absolute majority will be needed to repeal the presidential decree regarding the state of exception.