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A man in the case that led to Lasso’s impeachment is found dead in Ecuador

The businessman Rubén Cherres, one of those involved in the alleged corruption plot in public companies of Ecuador that originated the impeachment trial against the president, William Lassowas found this Friday dead and with apparent signs of violence in a building along with three other people.

The identity of Cherres, a character close to the ruling party, was confirmed by the National Police of Ecuador after analyzing the fingerprints of the bodies found in a house in the canton (municipality) of white tipin the coastal province of st. Helen.

MORE INFORMATION | Ecuador: Extortionists attached explosives to the body of a security guard

Cherres, 63, was among those involved in an alleged network of corruption in public companies that is investigating the prosecution and where it also appears Danilo CarreraLasso’s brother-in-law, in addition to appearing in a police investigation report where he was followed up for alleged links to drug trafficking.

The voice attributed to this businessman was heard in several of the audios broadcast by the digital media La Posta to reveal the alleged corruption scheme that operated in public companies in the country’s electricity and oil sector, allegedly dedicated to placing relatives in the public administration and obtaining hires.

The case was originally named “The Great Godfather”due to the presence as the supposed leader of the network of the president’s brother-in-law, and later it was renamed as the case “Meeting”when the Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation in this regard.

Later, the name of Cherres came to the fore again in a report by the Drug Police It was also published by La Posta, where he was among a group of people who were being monitored by agents with the aim of dismantling a possible drug trafficking network.

As a result of the telephone interceptions carried out in the framework of this investigation, the link that Cherres had had with the presidential campaign of William Lasso in 2021.

Both cases were taken up by the opposition, which has a majority in the National Assembly (Parliament)to initiate the impeachment procedure against the head of state, considering that he allegedly had knowledge of the alleged corrupt plot.

Some sectors of the opposition also believe that there are indications that Lasso allegedly protected Cherres from the investigation carried out by the Police by ordering, according to them, that the investigation be archived.

Thus, the opposition, which leads correísmo, activated the impeachment process against Lasso for the alleged crimes of extortion and embezzlement (embezzlement of public funds).

However, when reviewed by the Constitutional courtthis court did not approve the accusation for concussion on Wednesday and only left the embezzlement, referring to alleged irregular contracts that were signed in 2018 and 2020 in the public company Ecuadorian Oil Fleet (Flopec)before Lasso came to power.

The impeachment trial has been rejected outright by Lassowho claims his innocence and accuses the opposition of attempting a “parliamentary coup”, with a process that, according to the president, is full of false evidence and “smells very bad”.

CHECK HERE | Constitutional Court of Ecuador gives the green light for political trial against President Guillermo Lasso



Source: Elcomercio

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