Quito Councilor attacks Mayor Jorge Yunda during speech

Can President Lasso with the multiple crises?

1:47

(CNN Spanish) -

In Ecuador, the mayor of Quito, Jorge Yunda, was attacked this Tuesday by councilman Fernando Morales while the official gave a speech at a commemorative session for the 212 years of the country's First Cry for Independence.

During the message, transmitted by the Municipality, Yunda was speaking before the councilors of the capital when Morales approached and threw him a glass of water.

"Scoundrel, quit!" Morales yelled at Yunda after throwing the liquid at him.

"Have decency, scoundrel, Quito doesn't deserve what you're doing," he added.

"That is the situation in which we are always like this, those are the threats," said the mayor immediately.

After the incident, the mayor wrote on Twitter that "today's aggression is part of the attack on Quito. They are the ones who are willing to do anything to get to power." "I am a man of peace, let's debate with ideas, with proposals, with solutions, if you want my position, win in elections ”, he added.

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For its part, Morales' press team told CNN that the councilman will not apologize for what happened.

"Throwing water at Dr. Yunda is the least I could have done based on so much disrespect for the people of Quito," said the official in a video also shared by his press team.

"Every day he spits on the citizens, every day he mocks the people of Quito, every day the resources are inadequately focused and directed," he added.

The event occurs on the same day that demonstrations took place in the capital of Ecuador in favor and against the management of Yunda, who weeks ago was removed from office, but later reinstated after a ruling in his favor by the Provincial Court Court. of Justice of Pichincha.

Citizens demonstrated demanding his resignation, while he was being investigated since the beginning of this year for the alleged crime of embezzlement in the purchase of covid-19 tests in 2020, something that Yunda has always denied.

Meanwhile, another group demonstrated to keep him in office.

Hours earlier, President Guillermo Lasso referred to the current situation in the capital.

"Because Quito is the capital of every inhabitant of this country, what happens here concerns us all," said the president from Quito at a military ceremony.

"And when the time comes, this government, which has worked so hard to restore light to Ecuador, will also defend the light that always shone — and must continue to shine — here in Quito," he added.

Ana María Cañizares contributed to this report