Assemblyman wants Azuay Prefect Yaku Pérez investigated for inciting rebellion

National Assemblyman Fabricio Villamar is asking the attorney general’s office to investigate Azuay Prefect Yaku Pérez for the crime of rebellion which is punishable for up to 10 years in prison.

Yaku Perez during an anti-mining protest in Quito in 2015.

Villamar, a member of the conservative Ahora Movement, says Pérez participated in last Friday’s occupation the National Assembly building that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage. Villamar says Pérez appears in surveillance videos when indigenous protesters overran police lines and entered the main assembly hall. In one of the videos Villamar says Pérez tells protesters they should “install a people’s parliament” to replace the elected assembly.”

“Publicly calling for a rebellion is a crime under Ecuadorian law,” Villamar said. “I am asking the prosecutor’s office to immediately open an investigation under article 336 of the Criminal Code.” He asked the National Assembly leadership to turn over to prosecutors all videos of the the October 8 occupation of the assembly.