Today's events regarding the referendum:
Ecuador tribunal votes to ax congressmen
© 2007 The Associated Press
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QUITO, Ecuador — The nation's highest electoral court voted Wednesday to dismiss 57 congressmen for allegedly interfering with a referendum on whether to rewrite the constitution. But it was unclear if the tribunal has the constitutional authority to fire congressmen.
The vote was the latest salvo in the clash over a constitutional assembly sought by new leftist President Rafael Correa, who wants to limit the power of a political class he blames for the impoverished nation's problems.
Earlier Wednesday the 57 congressmen cited by the tribunal had signed a petition to initiate impeachment proceedings against four of the tribunal's members who approved the referendum.
The same four members of the seven-seat tribunal cast votes to dismiss the congressmen.
In a statement late Wednesday, Correa said that his government respects the tribunal's measure and that lawmakers' decision to replace the court's president "absolutely unconstitutional."
Constitutional expert Enrique Herreria told The Associated Press that tribunal's decision is a "flagrant" violation of the constitution.
The court "can fire public officials, (but) the lawmakers are not public officials. They're elected by the people," he said.
Tribunal President Jorge Acosta returned to his office Wednesday, disregarding a congressional vote to dismiss him a day earlier.
Congress approved the April 15 referendum on whether to rewrite the charter last month, but stipulated that the 130-member assembly would not have the power to dismiss lawmakers or officials elected last year.
But Correa, who has called the 100-seat unicameral Congress "a sewer of corruption," later said the assembly will have the power to dismiss not only lawmakers but judges and even the president himself.
The tribunal accepted Correa's version of the referendum last week, prompting lawmakers to call the vote unconstitutional and dismiss Acosta, who provided the swing vote when the body accepted Correa's referendum plan last week.
Correa, who took office Jan. 15, has rejected accusations of authoritarianism amid his push for a new constitution and says his reforms aim to make elected officials more accountable.
Lawmakers voted to fire Acosta on Tuesday in an effort to block the referendum.
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