Cross death – 05/18/2023 – Opinion

In times of political polarization, South America is experiencing turmoil that affects governments on both the left and right. Ecuador is the most recent example of the second case.

On Wednesday (17), President Guillermo Lasso dissolved the country’s Parliament and called new elections. In addition to being an extreme decision, the motivation is very questionable. Lasso wanted to stop an impeachment case filed over allegations of embezzlement.

The measure is not illegal, despite being traumatic —not for nothing, its nickname is “cross death”. It can be triggered on three occasions: if the Legislature assumes functions that are not its own, if it obstructs the government in an unjustified way or in case of serious political crisis and internal commotion. This last hypothesis was alleged by the president.

Thus, Lasso is freed for the second time from an impeachment. In June 2002, he lacked 12 votes for his impeachment to be approved by the National Assembly.

A large part of the opposition must accept the decision, but the Social Christian Party intends to sue the Constitutional Court to annul the measure, given that there would be no political crisis or commotion in the country.

While cross-death is legal, dissolutions of legislative houses, which undermine the popular vote, are obviously not trivial measures. Also problematic was the impeachment attempt, which seemed driven more by Lasso’s unpopularity than legal reasons.

According to the Ecuadorian Constitution, the president will now rule by decree for up to three months — the deadline for the new election.

On the continent, leftist leaders are also experiencing their hardships — and it goes without saying the unparalleled drama in Venezuela, which has been experiencing economic and humanitarian chaos for years.

In Peru, also to get rid of a kind of impeachment (“vacancy motion”) at the end of last year, then-president Pedro Castillo, without institutional protection, dissolved Congress and decreed a state of exception and restructuring of the Judiciary. However, parliamentarians voted on the motion, Castilho was arrested, and vice-president Dina Boluarte took office.

In both countries, the radicalization of the political dispute can weaken governance and even democracy.

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