Ecuador: Yaku Perez Resigns From Indigenous Pachakutik Party

In Ecuador, ex-presidential candidate Yaku Perez announced Thursday his withdrawal from the Plurinational Movement Pachakutik, noting his opposition to the Indigenous organization's legislative pact with President-elect Guillermo Lasso's party.

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Previously, Perez had warned that he would withdraw from Pachakutik if they formed alliances with the leftist Union for Hope (Unes) coalition and the right-wing CREO movement, given that he claims there was electoral fraud to prevent him from participating in the April 11 election runoff.

Early this week, Pachakutik member Guadalupe Llori was appointed Parliament chairwoman after negotiation among Pachakutik, CREO, and the Democratic Left party.

"They allied with the oligarchy, with a government that has not even made transparent the legislative agenda...I do not want to be an obstacle of an anti-nature pact," Perez claimed. 

In the first electoral round on Feb. 7, Perez came third place due to a small difference with Lasso. He requested a vote recount, which was denied by the National Electoral Council.

It is the first time that Pachakutik reaches the Parliament's chairmanship, a fact described as a "historic triumph" by the Indigenous movement, which is the second political force in the Assembly behind Unes.

"They are personal decisions that have been taken and those who do not agree with the Pachakutik movement of course have a free door to leave...the party does not limit itself to one or two people,"  Pachakutik national coordinator Cecilia Velasquez said.