Last Wednesday, the Economic Development Commission approved the report, which will be discussed this Friday.

One of the measures proposed as part of the legal initiative, now called the National Solidarity Law, is that private companies that make donations to law enforcement agencies receive a tax benefit, that is, that they be exempted from paying part of their income tax.

Social organizations and human rights defenders assert that, under the justification of the internal armed conflict (which has already been rejected by the Constitutional Court), the president proposed warrantless raids, express criminal proceedings, mandatory pretrial detention, and legal benefits for police and military personnel involved in crimes. They also denounce that the original bill concentrates power in the hands of the president and the so-called Security Bloc, which would be empowered to declare zones of exception, expel foreigners, and implement economic measures without parliamentary or judicial oversight.

The organizations demanded that the National Assembly reject the bill as unconstitutional and warned that they will take legal action if it is approved. However, the Commission’s assembly members claim they have made changes.

The Pichincha Bar Association announced that it will present its opinions and suggestions on the draft legislation to the Assembly.

After the debate, during which legislators will be able to forward their observations, the Economic Development Commission must rewrite the report with the necessary adjustments and then return it to the plenary session for a second analysis.

jrr/llp/lam/avr