Glas blames ‘hysterical pretty women’ for impeachment talk in National Assembly

Vice President Jorge Glas is blaming National Assembly impeachment efforts against him on the women.

Ana Galarza

In a radio interview Friday morning, the vice president lashed out at a group of women belonging to the minority Creo legislative delegation for pushing efforts to put him on trial. “These are hysterical women and I pity them for their perversity,” he said. “Without them, I don’t think impeachment talk would continue.”

Four women, led by Assemblywomen Ana Galarza and Jeannine Cruz, claim that evidence linking Glas to the Odebrecht and Petroecuador corruption scandals is strong enough to warrant impeachment. On Wednedsay, pro-impeachment assemblymembers delivered 59 signatures demanding an impeachment trial to Assembly leadership.

Jeannine Cruz

The women also claim that Glas misused funding intended for earthquake relief in 2016.

Saying they may be “pretty but they are vicious,” Glas said the women are acting on political, not ethical, motives. “They know I am innocent because I have explained this to them yet they continue in this nonsense against my honor,” Glas said.

Cruz says the fact that more than a dozen employees of government-owned Petroecuador have been arrested on bribery charges warrants the impeachment of Glas. “He had responsibility for Petroecuador and says he knew nothing about what was going on under his nose,” she says. “I don’t think ignorance is a proper defense.”

Galarza, a former beauty queen, says money that Glas controlled was used frivolously during earthquake reconstruction last year. “He spent $50,000 for luxury carpet that was installed in the offices of the Ministry of Interior,”  she says. “He lied and said it was installed in a geriatric center in Pedernales but we know better.” She also accuses Glas of spending thousands of dollars on Pringles potato chips and other unnecessary purchases.

An angry Glas refers to Galarza’s charges as “barbarities,” claiming she has done no research into her claims. “It is almost impossible to defend myself against such incredible lies. This is the same with the evidence she and the others site to bring me to trial.”