Tension in the Provincial Assembly of Ecuador in May 2024 – A situation that shakes the province
In May 2024, the Provincial Assembly of Equateur was the scene of strong tensions, plunging the province into a chaotic climate. Gunshots, accusations and clashes marked the day of Friday, May 3, leaving the local population in shock and concern.
According to the information reported, a group of deputies claiming to be from the “Save Ecuador” movement accused the outgoing governor of having violently burst into the headquarters of the Provincial Assembly. The protesting deputies claim that the governor and his supporters broke down the doors to force entry to the premises, thus causing a climate of extreme tension.
The vice-president of the contested office, Jean-Paul Elekola, strongly criticized the governor’s action, stressing that no official document legitimized their intrusion. Faced with the refusal of the prosecutor of the Mbandaka Court of Appeal to give his authorization, the governor himself apparently took the decision to force entry. The deputies of the protest group preferred to leave the scene so as not to condone this action which they describe as irregular.
On the side of the provincial government, we are trying to calm things down by emphasizing the importance of preserving order and allowing the smooth running of legislative activities. The instructions from the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, were clear: restore order to ensure that the plenaries could take place. The provincial Minister of the Interior, Moria Crispin, justified the presence of the outgoing governor in the Provincial Assembly as president of the Provincial Security Council.
These unrest originated from the proclamation of the provisional results of the provincial legislative elections by the Ceni, thus creating two camps of divergent deputies. This conflict of legitimacy has exacerbated tensions within the Provincial Assembly, transforming this legislative space into a battlefield where antagonistic political interests clash.
It is crucial to emphasize that these clashes must in no way paralyze the functioning of the province and endanger the stability and security of citizens. It is imperative that political actors demonstrate responsibility and restraint in order to find a peaceful solution to this political crisis which threatens the institutional balance of the province of Équateur.
In conclusion, it is obvious that the situation prevailing in the Provincial Assembly of Ecuador is worrying and requires rapid and effective intervention to guarantee social peace and respect for democratic institutions. Political issues must be treated rigorously and in compliance with the law in order to avoid any escalation of violence and to preserve the unity and cohesion of the province.