Guayas mayor crucifies himself to protest efforts to remove him from office

Cirilo González, mayor of Balzar in Guayas Province, is willing to go to the cross to defend himself against charges that he has mismanaged his office.

Mayor on the cross but please, no nails. (El Comercio)

On Wednesday, González placed a cross against a wall outside the Balzar municipal building and draped his arms over the cross beams. “I feel like Jesus at Calvary,” he said. “This is what the government is doing to me.” Several dozen supporters and municipal workers gathered to support the mayor.

The Ecuador Comptroller’s office is recommending impeachment proceedings against González for “administrative deviations” and questionable money management practices.

González, who opposes President Rafael Correa, calls the procedure a witch hunt by the government. “I was elected overwhelmingly by the voters of my canton and they should have the final judgement on my competence and integrity,” he said

There was a limit, however, to the symbolism of González’s protest. When a worker at a nearby construction site offered to attach him permanently to the cross with a nail gun, González declined.