Impeachment processes advance or stall based on legislative majorities in the National Assembly

An impeachment process against Inés Manzano, Ecuador's former Minister of Energy, has stalled in the National Assembly's Oversight and Political Control Committee. The request, initiated by legislators from the Citizen Revolution movement, sought to hold Manzano politically responsible for the contracting of the Salitral and Quevedo electricity generation projects with Progen.

The Legislative Administrative Council had approved the request on June 1, 2026, forwarding it to the Oversight Committee. However, during a virtual session five days later, the motion to qualify the impeachment failed to gain sufficient support. Four legislators voted in favor, while six abstained, effectively halting the process at this stage.

Political analysts emphasize the crucial role of the Oversight Committee in the National Assembly's function of fiscalizing state actions. However, they also caution that the committee's effectiveness can be compromised when its decisions are influenced by legislative majorities and partisan interests. This situation highlights the potential for selective oversight, where investigations may favor officials aligned with the ruling majority while targeting opposition figures.