Jhonny Escobar joins Ecuador's CPCCS, pledges to revive stalled prosecutor selection

The Ecuadorian National Assembly appointed three substitute members—Jhonny Escobar, Andrés Mendoza and Roger Vallejo—to the Council of Participation, Citizenship and Social Control (CPCCS) after the resignation of Roberto Gilbert. Escobar will be “principalized” within hours, giving the council a seventh voting member.

Escobar, describing the CPCCS as politicized, said his priority will be to depoliticise the body and to restart the paralysed contest to appoint a new Fiscal General. He called on the Citizen Selection Commission to forward the complete dossier so the council can review the qualification and scoring criteria, which he believes need verification despite the process being in an advanced stage. The council’s plenary has yet to approve the commission’s report, leaving the prosecutor‑general appointment stalled.

The new members joined a council that already has six active counselors, many of whom are seeking re‑election in the upcoming November 2027‑2031 term. Escobar, Mendoza and Vallejo each indicated concern over institutional deterioration and the need for broader citizen involvement in future selections.