Impeachment trial of Attorney General Salazar rejected in chaotic Assembly committee meeting

In a late-night meeting of the National Assembly’s Oversight Commission Monday, members voted not to proceed with an impeachment trial against Attorney General Diana Salazar. During a session marked by shouting and insults, commission President Pamela Aguirre of the Citizens Revolution party attempted to suspend the meeting and was replaced by Vice President Luis Alvarado of Democratic Action.

Ecuador Attorney General Diana Salazar

The chief point of contention at the meeting that began a 9:30, was whether to hold impeachment trials against three ministers of the Guillermo Lasso government before considering the case against Salazar. In August, Judge Edgar Romero ruled that the Assembly must first hold originally scheduled trials against Pablo Arosemena, Sebastián Corral and Andrea Montalvo.

Aguirre and other Correista Assemblymembers claim the judge overstepped his authority in issuing the order, insisting the Assembly has the right to set aside the earlier schedule and move directly to Salazar’s case. Continuing with trials against Arosemena, Corral and Montalvo, they say, could delay Salazar’s case for months.

At one point Monday night, after both Alvarado and Aguirre attempted to run the meeting. “It was pure chaos, no one could be heard, and finally the motion was made to replace the president [Aguirre],” said ADN member César Umajinga. “If we can’t have a civilized discussion where all sides are heard, it is time for a change of leadership.”

A motion was made and accepted to read Judge Romero’s full ruling, after which the commission voted to comply with his order to proceed with the trials of the three ministers of the previous government.

Afterward, a motion by Aguirre to put Salazar’s trial on the agenda after the other three, was voted down.

Following the meeting, Aguirre said the issue of Salazar’s trial is far from resolved, saying she would seek “other remedies to ensure that the truth is heard.”