Muerte Cruzada and Ecuadorian Democracy

Despite its novelty, the act did not plunge the country into crisis as some critics warned, nor did it mark a death knell for Ecuadorian democracy, as others argued. To the contrary, muerte cruzada acted as a constitutional release valve, helping dissipate popular discontent and providing a democratic exit for an unpopular president who was facing his second impeachment trial and third motion for impeachment in two years.

Peru and Ecuador: Cases of Risky Institutional Designs

Following Latin America’s democratic transitions in the 1980s, confrontations between legislative and executive branches controlled by opposing political forces produced institutional crises in many countries that seriously affected governance.