Partial constitutional reform to be activated at the initiative of citizens It is the mechanism that will be promoted by the leader of the Social Christian Party (PSC) and the former mayor of Guayaquil, Jaime Nebot, and other social sectors to ensure that Ecuador becomes a federal state..

The basis is Article 442 of the Constitution of Montecristi, which states: “Partial reform that does not entail a limitation of constitutional rights and guarantees or modifies the procedure for amending the Constitution is carried out on the initiative of the President or the President of the Republic, or at the request of the citizens with the support of at least 1% of the Citizens registered in the electoral register, or by a decision approved by the majority of the members of the National Assembly.

On the night of July 6, in a video posted on social networks, Nebot suggested holding a referendum to change the model of government in the country.

Federalism consists of the formation of different states that enjoy a certain independence and sovereignty in some of the matters over which there is a central government (federal). He noted that countries such as the United States, Russia, Argentina, Switzerland and Germany run this type of organization.

“This model will transform us into a new people, with high self-esteem, with work and income, with the possibility of entrepreneurship, innovation and, above all, able to make social justice and solidarity a reality, in the countryside and in the city. Among the provinces, which must have Specific fund,” Nebot added.

The former mayor noted that with this model of the country, a duly financed central state is maintained, “which governs much and manages little”, which should outline the monetary, international and national defense policy. The local states will be responsible for the independent administration of a portion of the income that corresponds to them and will have the power to establish their own taxes, as well as dictate political, administrative, and regulatory decisions in their territories.

His proposal did not come from moment to moment. “Cooking” has been for some time with technical support from a group of close collaborators who include, among others, jurist Carlos de Tommaso, mathematician Juan José Ellingworth, and PSC legislator Esteban Torres, according to figures from his environment.

Nebot did not reveal many details about how to promote this proposal, but his relatives commented that support groups are already being set up in several provinces, such as Manabe, Tungurahua, Azuay and Loja, with the aim of collecting signatures in support of the constitutional reform initiative. 1% of the record corresponds to more than 130,000 signatures.

The questions set, together with their appendices, require a prior opinion on the constitutionality of the Constitutional Court (CC).

Once this liquidation has been passed, according to Article 442, the application is sent to the Assembly, which must deal with it in at least two discussions. The second discussion will take place at least 90 days after the first discussion.

The reform bill will be approved by a majority of 70 votes of lawmakers, in accordance with the recent reforms of the Basic Law of the legislative function. A referendum will then be required to ratify it within the next 45 days.

“For approval in a referendum, at least half plus one of the valid votes cast will be required. Once the reform is approved in a referendum, and within the next seven days, the National Electoral Council will order its publication,” says 442.

The head of the Assembly’s constitutional amendments committee is legislator Torres.

In a statement signed by PSC President Alfredo Serranoit was pointed out that for this reform “the Constituent Assembly is not required (imagine the present assembly with absolute and constituent powers) because, among other things, the structure of the state is preserved; that is, its functions are safeguarded, and what has been partially modified in the Constitution is in terms of the powers This reform involves declaring a referendum for the Ecuadorean people, and one of the ways to raise it is to support the signatories with 1% of the electoral register, according to Article 442 of the Constitution.

Regional planning teacher and political analyst Andrés Ortiz Agrees that the correct procedure for converting Ecuador into a federation is the procedure provided for in Article 442.

But he doubts that this proposal will get 70 votes in the Council. The PSC has barely fifteen legislators. “The only way to get to this approval is for Correismo to be in favor of this thesis; I see no other way, as there are 47. Without Correismo, there is no federation,” said Ortiz, who has been an ardent promoter of this idea for several years now.

Similarly, the constitutionalist Andre Benavides He points out that by changing the constitutive element of the state by saying that it is federal rather than unitary, what corresponds is a partial reform.

To activate the legislative track, they need a majority of votes. In this case, it depends on the PSC to manage the generation of this support, as well as on the citizens to collect signatures. “It’s a lot of work,” says Benavides, who says he’ll wait to know the content of the proposal to comment on whether it’s viable.

On Twitter, former President Rafael Correa mocked the Christian social suggestion: “Read: ‘Since I can’t win nationally, give me Guayas as a ranch.’ Shall we allow it, Ecuadoreans? #The corrupt have always been“. (YO)