MONTECRISTI, Ecuador (AFP) — An assembly tasked with rewriting Ecuador's constitution dissolved the opposition-led Congress and took over its duties, angering lawmakers who warned that democracy was under threat.
In its opening session Thursday, the 130-member assembly voted 110 in favor of declaring the 100-seat Congress "in recess" until a new constitution is drawn up in six months and submitted to referendum in 2008.
President Rafael Correa, whose party controls 80 assembly seats, had wanted the dissolution of Congress, which he deems corrupt and incompetent.
He wants the new constitution to cut back the legislature's authority to dismiss presidents in a country that has seen seven heads of state come and go in the past decade.
The socialist president has said that the country needs a new constitution to end its political volatility.
Anticipating the assembly vote, lawmakers on Wednesday decided to go on vacations one month ahead of time and warned assembly members that by dissolving Congress they would face international sanctions.
"The dictatorship's begun," several lawmakers shouted together as the assembly voted to fire them. The opposition has accused Correa of seeking to expand his power along the lines of leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The assembly, meeting in the southwestern city of Montecristi, also voted to confirm Correa as president of Ecuador.
After the confirmation vote, Correa said the process "is not a whim or an attempt to destabilize the republic."
The assembly is expected to work for six months in drafting a new constitution, with which Correa aims to increase the role of the state in the economy and broaden social policies in the impoverished country.
The congressional recess, the assembly said in its statement, "is not susceptible to any interruption and cannot be contested by constitutional or judicial actions."
Fired lawmakers complained bitterly against what they called governmental abuse.
"This is the end of constitutional democracy in Ecuador," said Vicente Taiano, of the conservative Renovating Institutional National Action Party. "This dictatorial behavior will put an end to democracy. This constitutional (assembly) wants to give more power to the executive (branch)."
Social Christian Party deputy Leonardo Viteri said the assembly was in a big hurry to do Correa's bidding.
"Tomorrow we'll have a super-president with no Congress or courts. He is mocking the Ecuadoran people's trust."
Outside the building where the assembly convened, hundreds of people clapped when it was announced that the lawmakers had been fired.
Correa plans to begin debate on consitutional changes on Friday.
Ecuador is one of Chavez's regional allies, along with Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua. Bolivia and Venezuela also are seeking to rewrite their constitutions.
Chavez himself awaits a referendum December 2 on a more far-reaching plan to alter Venezuela's constitution to bolster his power.
The proposed changes would do away with presidential term limits, gag the press during "emergencies" and turn Venezuela into a "socialist economy," in what some critics have slammed as an elected dictatorship.
Chavez's closest allies, however, say it will simply give him the time to get done the work he seeks to do.
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