Ecuador to hold general elections on Aug. 20

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) has announced that early presidential and legislative elections will be held on Aug. 20.

The decision, announced Tuesday, comes a week after Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso issued a decree dissolving the opposition-controlled legislature, a day after it opened an impeachment trial against him accusing him of having been aware that his close associates were involved in a corruption scheme stealing funds from state companies.

Lasso decreed the dissolution due to a "serious political crisis and internal commotion". The president's decision, known as the "cross-death," allowed him to dissolve the National Assembly if he considered that it was hindering his ability to govern.

Lasso, a conservative former banker whose popularity fell to 10% in two years, will be able to run again, according to electoral authorities. However, Lasso assured that he will not run in the elections.

In the absence of a Congress, the president may govern by issuing economic emergency decree-laws. Social and indigenous organizations warned that they will monitor the decrees issued by the government, which they point out as maintaining policies that have affected the cost of living.

More than 13 million of the 18.2 million Ecuadorians are eligible to go to the polls to elect the president and vice president, as well as the 137 new members of the unicameral National Assembly.

If none of the presidential candidates manage to reach 51% of the votes, a second electoral round would be held on Oct. 15.