Ecuador: President Guillermo Lasso faces no-confidence vote amid ongoing fuel price protests

Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso will face a no-confidence vote on Saturday on the 13th day of protests against rising fuel prices. Ecuador's National Assembly will meet at 6:00 pm local time to conduct the con-confidence vote against Lasso.
Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso

Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso (File image)

Photo : AP
Quito: Amid protests by Indigenous groups against rising fuel prices in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso will face a no-confidence vote on Saturday. The parliamentary session was called by the opposition lawmakers. They blamed Lasso for the political crisis in the country.
At least six civilians were killed, while several others were injured in 13 days of protests, reported news agency AFP. As per reports, around 14,000 people are taking part in nationwide protests. Notably, Ecuador's economy was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Out of the total, around 10,000 people are protesting in the national capital Quito. They are chanting "out Lasso out" slogans. The no-trust vote against lasso is taking place at the request of 47 lawmakers.
Ecuador's National Assembly will meet at 6:00 pm local time to conduct the con-confidence vote against the President. To remove Lasso from the President's post, 92 votes out of 137 are required in the assembly. If Lasso s removed from the post, Vice President Alfredo Borrero will assume interim power. He will then call new presidential and legislative elections.
On Friday, Lasso accused Indigenous protesters of seeking a coup. Protesters in the national capital threw rocks and Molotov cocktails and shot off fireworks near the congress building, reported the news agency. The security forces repelled them with tear gas.
The protests were called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie). Notably, a state of emergency has been enforced in six of the country's 24 provinces. Meanwhile, a night-time curfew is in place in Quito. Conaie had also led two weeks of nationwide protests in 2019 in which at least 11 people lost their lives.
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