Guillermo Lasso denied a deal with Rafael Correa for the release of former vice president Jorge Glas

The release of Jorge Glas, the former vice president Correista who had been in prison for more than four years serving two sentences for corruption offences, has generated strong criticism of the government of Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso. Several sectors of public opinion have accused Lasso of agreeing with Rafael Correa in exchange for governance.

Faced with these accusations, Guillermo Lass has not denied the alleged agreement with the Correistas and described the questions as rumors. “It doesn't exist, it hasn't existed and probably never will exist,” said the president, who is facing a crisis of governance due to his null relationship with the Legislature, made up mostly of congressm-related congressmen.

“What pact? What has the Government received in return? Nothing. What pact are we talking about? ”, said Lasso, during the interview he holds every Tuesday from the Carondelet Palace. “I smile and wonder, what pact do we have if all they do (UNES, the Correista party) is to block the government, cause problems for the government plan?” , said the head of state.

Regarding the performance of the Manglaralto judge, who granted a habeas corpus that allowed Jorge Glas to leave prison, President Lasso said that this decision is “irregular” and assured that it is “” riddled with demonstrations that he has not complied with the law.” However, since it is a judicial ruling, he as a Democrat cannot intervene. “Correa was criticized for putting his hand to justice, now they criticize me because I don't put my hand to justice. Let's agree,” he said.

Glas's habeas corpus appeal was settled last weekend, allowing the former vice president, found guilty in the Odebrecht case, to leave prison on Sunday morning. Lasso has revealed that he was suggested to disobey the court order, but he refused. The president confirmed that the National Service for Comprehensive Care of Adults Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders of Ecuador (SNAI) has already filed an appeal on the decision of the Manglaralto judge.

Glas could escape Ecuadorian justice

Behind closed doors, the Minister of Government, Francisco Jiménez, the presidential adviser, Diego Ordóñez, and the Secretary of Communication of the Presidency, Eduardo Bonilla, met with some media outlets and revealed the details of the government's actions to prevent the escape of former vice president Correista and argued that there is a link between the last mutiny in Turi and the habeas corpus granted to Glas.

For Ordóñez, “there is a montage from the correísmo” because the last prison massacre coincides with the request for the release of Jorge Glas. The presidential adviser stated that they could not anticipate the request of Glas's defense: “We didn't know they were going to do this before a judge in Manglaralto. They had tried it four times before. How could we anticipate that Glas's lawyers would find this judge correista,” he said.

The defense of former vice president of Ecuador Jorge Glas argued that the politician has psychotic disorders and that his health and life are at risk.

For his part, Jimenez, who had previously announced the increased vigilance to prevent Glas from escaping, said he could not give a “100% certainty” that the vice president will not run away. The Minister of Government assured that police surveillance has been “strengthened, but we cannot enter the house. We have already identified the exits from the urbanization.”

Despite the surveillance of the National Police, Jiménez has indicated that Glas, who arrived last Sunday in Guayaquil, could request asylum at a consulate. If that were the case, the government would not be able to stop it. “We are perfectly aware of what an escape from Glas would mean for the country and the government, we know that it can translate into instability and convulsion,” he said.

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