Vice President of Ecuador, Verónica Abad, says she will take office this Sunday

The vice president of Ecuador,
Veronica Abadexpressed on Saturday, January 4, that he will assume the Presidency this Sunday at the beginning of the campaign for the February elections, in which the president will participate. Daniel Noboawith whom he maintains a power struggle.

(Also read: What is happening in Ecuador and why did the Government suspend the vice president?)

“I will assume the presidency (…) by express mandate in the law,” he said on the X network Abad, who for the Executive committed a temporary absence from office by not appearing until December 27 at the Ecuadorian embassy in Türkiye to be a counselor by order of Noboa.

“I must attend to this responsibility while President Daniel Noboa participates as a presidential candidate in the electoral campaign, whose candidacy is firm and cannot be waived,” he added.

Noboa will participate in the general votes on February 9 and, according to his government, he is not obliged to request a license for the campaign because it is not a re-election because he won early elections in 2023 to complete the term of former governor Guillermo Lasso.

Without completing his four-year term (until May), Lasso dissolved Congress to avoid being removed in a political trial for corruption and gave way to early elections. The Ecuadorian Constitution allows reelection only once and, in case of absence, the president will be replaced by his vice. Officials must request leave to campaign.

Government Minister José de la Gasca said on Thursday that “it is not mandatory for the president to take leave.” He added that “this It is not a case of re-election“as “the Constitutional Court has interpreted it.”

Verónica Abad called on the Armed Forces to respect the legal system, pointing out that “the (presidential) succession is clear,” and asked the OAS to act “energetically against any possible coup attempt against the president” in office, supposedly , since Sunday.

“For the full exercise of such a high responsibility and in order to provide continuity and stability to the executive management, I require the support and commitment of each and every one of the functions of the State, Armed Forces, media and mainly of our principal, the Ecuadorian people, deserving of a respectful, serious, sovereign and clear administration in the objectives that we must meet,” said the official.

He guaranteed that the period in his charge will be “of peace, serenity and absolute respect for democratic institutions, for rights and freedoms and constitutional guarantees. There will be no attacks on the honor and dignity of citizens. There will be no persecution for thinking differently, any increase in taxes or fuel prices”.

He added that “negotiations or misuse of public resources will not be allowed” and asked for “trust and tranquility” because his management “will be totally responsible and impartial.” “The will of the people is sacred and their mandate at the polls must be respected and fulfilled,” added Verónica Abad.

Faced with “disrespect” by Verónica Abad, according to de la Gasca, on Thursday Noboa reappointed his Minister of Planning, Sariha Moya, interim vice president until January 22 or until the vice president appears at the embassy in Turkey. .

Because Moya “is going through a breakdown in his health and requires rest,” the president changed his decision on Saturday and By decree, Cynthia Gellibert was appointed new interim vice president.secretary (minister) of Public Administration, under the same conditions.

On December 23, justice revoked a 150-day suspension ordered by the Ministry of Labor in November against Verónica Abad for alleged unjustified abandonment of her duties while she was ambassador to Israel.

After the ruling, the president repealed the decree with which he had already appointed Moya interim vice president in November and assigned the new functions to Abad as counselor in the legation in Turkey.