A statement by GUE/NGL EuroLat members in solidarity with the people of Ecuador and the leaders of Citizens Revolution:

GUE/NGL MEPs on the European Parliament’s EuroLat (Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly) strongly commend the comprehensive social and democratic transformation that the Citizens Revolution has achieved during the last decade, and whose continuation is vital given the conservative and neoliberal regression currently taking place in countries across the region.

GUE/NGL strongly condemns the so-called ‘lawfare’ and the politicisation of the judiciary on behalf of spurious interests in other countries in the region. This is an attempt to undermine democracy and to dismantle the progressive policies in reducing poverty, inequality, promoting political stability and reclaiming the country’s economic sovereignty.

GUE/NGL MEPs on EuroLat believe in the democratic and judicial institutions of Ecuador. However, we are concerned by the plights of former President Rafael Correa, former vice-president, Jorge Glas, as well as the members of the Movimiento Revolucion Ciudadana who have been elected to the National Assembly. It is worth reiterating the paramount importance of a non-politicised and independent judiciary system as a fundamental pillar for rule of law and democracy.

We are thus worried by the lack of transparency and legitimacy of the local, regional and Council of the Citizens’ Participation and Social Control (CPCCS) elections. In particular, with regards to reports that the electoral process has been marred by controversies and irregularities concerning vote counts and allegations of fraud – including the attempts to invalidate voided ballots, and by disqualifying and smearing the candidates who had been endorsed by former President Correa.