The signatories, members of the Grupo Parlamentario Progresista Iberoamericano – Grupo de Puebla, express our deep concern about the political persecution that is being carried out in Ecuador against the former National Assemblywoman and Prefect of Pichincha Paola Pabón, the ex-constituent and ex-national Assemblyman Virgilio Hernández and of the militant of the Citizen Revolution Christian González, who have been vulnerated from their constitutional rights,and turning them into victims of disproportionate persecution by the government of President Lenín Moreno.
We want to alert the entire international community that justice in Ecuador is being co-opted by the undemocratic and unconstitutional practice of lawfare. To that extent, we express:
That the lawfare misuses legal instruments for the purposes of political persecution, destruction of the public image and disqualification of those considered political adversaries.
Using apparently legal actions, with the unconditional support of the (conventional) media to pressure the “accused” and his environment (family, friends, colleagues), thus annihilating and vulnerating his actions as a political actor, through a series of forced, rigged and malicious accusations, without credible evidence, to affect their reputation, his party or political movement, in order to undermine its credibility, legitimacy, or accumulated political capital.
The neoliberal-authoritarian governments with these practices, intend to impose a clear message to our region: “Do not get involved in politics”, and less, in a policy that seeks changes towards greater solidarity and social justice. That is why through force, they seek to impose “naturalize” a neoliberalism that deepens the gap of inequalities, which always ends up excluding the great majorities in our societies.
As in the 70s of Plan Condor, it is a strategy of “war by other means”, in this case, through judicial channels, to punish and eliminate national-popular movements from the political game and relocate, once again through the anti-democratic routes of force, to neoliberalism in the center of the political scene.
As Puebla Group we raise our voices to the world to demand that political disputes be settled in the political arena, with the greatest possible participation and representation, as required by procedural liberal democracy, which now, at convenience, “forget” or put aside the political apparatuses of authoritarian neoliberalism.
Given these facts, we declare:
Our absolute rejection to the political persecution against Paola Pabón, Virgilio Hernández and Christian González, who are being harassed solely for their political position, which threatens their most elemental rights such as life and freedom, as well as, against their political rights, the same that guarantee individual freedoms, as well as the ability of citizens to participate in the civil and political life of the country.
We express our deep concern for this improper use of judicial instances, used nowadays as an instrument of political persecution against progressive political actors, humanists and opposition to dictatorial regimes.
We urge to public institutions to respect unrestricted due process; the presumption of innocence, judicial independence and compliance with and respect for human rights, regardless of political ideology or social condition.
We call to international organizations to monitor compliance with the fundamental principles and guarantees to which a human being must have access, as well as compliance with the international human rights instruments signed and ratified by Ecuador.
Sunday, September 6th 2020
Alejandro Navarro, Senador, Chile
Alejandro Sanchez, Senador, Uruguay
Anabel Sagasti, Senadora, Argentina
Anabell Belloso, Deputada, El Salvador
Antonio Sanguino Páez, Senador, Colombia
Beatriz Paredes, Senadora, México
Betty Yañíquez, Deputada, Bolivia
Carlos Filizzola, Senador, Paraguay
Daniella Cicardini, Deputada, Chile
Esperanza Martínez, Senadora, Paraguay
Esther Cuesta Santana, Legislador Nacional, Ecuador
Fernando Lugo, Senador, Paraguay
Gabriela Rivadeneira, Legislador Nacional, Ecuador
Humberto Costa, Senador, Brasil
Iván Cepeda, Senador, Colombia
Jandira Feghali, Deputada, Brasil
Jorge Querey, Senador, Paraguay
Jorge Taiana, Senador, Argentina
Juan Castillo, Senador, Uruguay
Karina Sosa, Deputada, El Salvador
Lenin Checco, Congresista, Perú
Marcela Aguiñaga, Legislador Nacional, Ecuador
Martha Lucía Micher, Senadora, México
Mirtha Vásquez, Congresista, Perú
Oscar Laborde, Parlamentar do Mercosul, Argentina
Pabel Muñoz, Legislador Nacional, Ecuador
Rocío Silva, Congresista, Perú
Sonia Britos, Deputada, Bolivia
Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, Deputada, México
Vanesa Siley, Deputada, Argentina