Lasso vows to govern without Congress after failing to pass reforms

“What this shows me is that, from now on, I should govern without considering that the National Assembly exists.” These controversial words, stated by Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso during a recent interview, sums up the country’s new political crisis.

A week ago, the chief of state was enraged after Congress rejected one of his top priorities, an investment bill that the opposition believes is a way of furthering the privatization of public assets.

It was a pill that Mr. Lasso couldn’t swallow. Calling lawmakers “thieves, corrupt, and traitors,” the conservative head of state declared a witch hunt against those who voted against his bill, throwing the full weight of the state against them.

Mr. Lasso requested that the country’s Federal Prosecution Office investigate five congressmen for demanding personal favors in exchange for their vote. In addition, he called the country’s tax office to open a tax evasion probe against left-leaning Izquierda Democrática leader Xavier Hervas, whose party also opposed the bill. 

“It’s clear that the government must find its own way to seek well-being for Ecuadorians and not waste time sending any more laws...