Lasso was recommended to be investigated for alleged corruption

The Truth, Justice and Anti-Corruption Commission of the National Assembly of Ecuador has voted to recommend that the president, Guillermo Lasso, be investigated for the ‘Encuentro’ corruption case, also known as the ‘El Gran Padrino’ case.

With six affirmative votes, they have approved a report recommending the Attorney General’s Office and the Comptroller General’s Office to open proceedings against the president for alleged corruption offenses, although it is not a binding decision.

In the communiqué published Wednesday by the National Assembly, it is argued that the evidence reviewed by the body during the session, which lasted seven hours, shows sufficient evidence to corroborate the report in which Lasso is accused and therefore ratify its recommendation to investigate him.

“The President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, was warned by the former Anti-Corruption Secretary, Luis Verdesoto, of the possible acts of corruption, and not only did he not denounce them, but he tried to prevent the National Assembly’s supervisory action”, reads the missive.

The president of the Commission, Viviana Veloz (of Union for Hope, the party of former leftist president Rafael Correa), has described this day as “historic for the country” after, in February, she reproached the president for not appearing at a hearing in the commission, to testify about the facts under investigation.

With information from LGI