LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Ecuador lawmaker blasts president's threat to shut Congress

The latest in Latin American politics today: Top Ecuador lawmaker condemns threat to dissolve Congress QUITO - A top Ecuadorean lawmaker said a dissolution of congress by President Guillermo Lasso to avoid being ousted from power would be "unconstitutional," given the timing of the decision. Lasso has previously asserted he could dissolve Congress, where he has frequently clashed with lawmakers, which would trigger early elections.

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Top Ecuador lawmaker condemns threat to dissolve Congress QUITO - A top Ecuadorean lawmaker said a dissolution of congress by President Guillermo Lasso to avoid being ousted from power would be "unconstitutional," given the timing of the decision.

Lasso has previously asserted he could dissolve Congress, where he has frequently clashed with lawmakers, which would trigger early elections. "Beyond being illegal, (dissolving the assembly) would be unconstitutional because what the constitutional norm says is not being expressly applied," Virgilio Saquicela, president of Ecuador's National Assembly, told journalists.

Constitutionally, the president can dissolve the assembly and call early elections to avoid being removed from office by arguing that lawmakers are blocking the functioning of government. Venezuela, Russia to expand cooperation, says Lavrov

CARACAS - Allies Venezuela and Russia will expand their cooperation on energy, investment and trade, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the capital of the South American country. The cooperation will have economic benefits, Lavrov said, though he offered no details.

Lavrov is on a tour of Latin America with stops also scheduled in Brazil, Nicaragua and Cuba. Nicaragua withdraws approval of EU ambassador to country

MANAGUA - Nicaragua withdrew its approval of the European Union's ambassador to the country, the Central American nation's foreign ministry said, after the EU issued a statement calling for a "return to the rule of law" in Nicaragua. In a statement, the Nicaraguan ministry said the decision was due to the bloc's "interventionist" position.

Mexican president claims Pentagon spies on his government MEXICO CITY - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador accused the Pentagon of spying on his government following leaks in U.S. media, and said he would begin classifying information to protect national security.

Lopez Obrador made the remarks several days after the Washington Post reported on apparent tensions between the Mexican Navy and Army, citing a U.S. military briefing revealed in online leaks of secret U.S. military records. It comes as a Mexican court slammed the brakes on Lopez Obrador's plan to shift control of the country's national guard, originally envisioned as a civilian-led police force, to the country's defense ministry.

Brazil's Lula condemns Ukraine invasion in change of tone BRASILIA - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his administration condemns the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, shifting his rhetoric after previously suggesting Western governments had been "encouraging" war by arming Ukraine.

The earlier comments made over the weekend caused a storm among Western allies. Paraguay opposition hopeful favors 'austerity' over tax hike

ASUNCION - Paraguay's main opposition presidential candidate Efrain Alegre will favor "austerity" policies to cut public spending over raising taxes on the country's farmers if he wins the April 30 election, he told Reuters. Alegre, who leads the center-left Concertacion Nacional coalition, is seen neck-and-neck in opinion polls with ruling Colorado Party presidential hopeful Santiago Peña. (Compiled by Sarah Morland, Brendan O'Boyle, Isabel Woodford and Ale Valencia; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Paul Simao and Rashmi Aich)

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