The leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), Leonidas Iza, who led the recent 18-day national strike and is facing legal proceedings for suspension of public service, an accusation for which he is summoned to a court hearing this Monday, requested international criminal assistance and the appearance of President Guillermo Lasso.
Iza’s defense requested the versions of President Lasso and that of his Interior Minister, Patricio Carrilloin addition to international criminal assistance, in view of the direct trial hearing that the peasant leader will face this Monday.
According to Carlos Poveda, who is part of the team of lawyers, the request responds to the fact that Iza is accused of committing a flagrant crime, but nevertheless, they have proof that they had investigated him before he was arrested. -and later released- on June 14, while he was leading the national strike against the government.
For Poveda, Lasso and Carrillo “They will have a lot to say about this situation because what was accused and accused is a flagrant crime. But if there were follow-ups almost 14 days before the fact, it would no longer have the quality of flagrant”he argued according to the Ecuadorian media outlet El Comercio.
“These events have not been triggered since June 14. We understand that there were follow-ups, interceptions, taking photographs from June 6 “the lawyer told this newspaper, one day before the hearing that will take place in Latacunga.
Poveda also demanded that “a fair trial” be carried out and said that they have required international criminal assistance, in such a way that the expertise is carried out with independent experts, since it is a process promoted by the State, through the Attorney General’s Office and the prosecution.
