Ecuador’s president, Guillermo Lasso, has reshuffled his executive and high-ranking officials following the victory of the ‘no’ vote in last weekend’s constitutional referendum in which the president sought to approve a series of security, institutional and environmental reforms.
In a ceremony held at the Government Palace, the Ecuadorian president has expressed that the changes in the Cabinet are «necessary to refresh lines» and to ratify his commitment with the will of the people, as reported by the newspaper ‘La Hora’.
«Today that spirit of national understanding is renewed. We are going to build it step by step, all together, until Ecuadorians can listen to each other in all our diversity, with bridges of trust and hard work», Lasso has asserted in a statement, while assuring that the changes are carried out «in order to strengthen» the institutions.
«We have listened to them and we will execute actions and projects for the advancement of the country. To the new officials, the best of success,» said the Ecuadorian president.
Among the changes is Herny Cucalón, ex-assemblyman of the Social Christian Party (PSC), who assumed the Ministry of Government in replacement of Francisco Jiménez, who resigned on Thursday.
In addition, the until now Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Kingdom, Sebastián Corral, will become Secretary of Public Administration, while Josueth Almeida will become General Legal Secretary of the Presidency of the Republic.
The Secretary of Management and Development of Peoples will be in the hands of Marcelo Córdova, a specialist in conflict resolution, and the businessman and agricultural producer Francesco Tabacchi will be the new governor of the province of Guayas.
Lasso has also made changes in the governorship of the provinces of Cotopaxi, El Oro and Esmeraldas.
«We have listened to the message of the people that leads us to start a new stage, a strong turn that goes from the line of action and change, but never giving in to any desire for destabilization and worse of those who think that barbarism is an alternative», said the new Minister of Government, Herny Cucalón, after taking the oath of office, reported ‘El Universo’.
«Citizens no longer tolerate political weariness», said the minister as a pillar of the agreement with political forces.
After the failure in the vote, President Lasso has remarked that the result of the referendum – which is not yet definitive despite the clear advantage of the rejection to it – means «a call from the people to the Government», reason for which he already anticipated that his cabinet was not going to «avoid this responsibility».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
