Ecuador president replaces VP for ‘insubordination’

Quito — Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa appointed Cynthia Gellibert, secretary-general of public administration, as interim vice-president after replacing the elected vice-president, Veronica Abad, at the weekend.

Over the past year, Noboa and Abad have feuded over who would represent the country as president while Noboa takes time out to campaign in the run-up to the presidential election in which he seeks a four-year term.

The country’s constitution states when the president campaigns, the presidency must be handed over to the vice-president.

Abad, who has also been serving as the Andean country’s ambassador to Israel, has repeatedly argued that she had the right to the presidency, but was suspended from her post by the labour ministry in November.

In the decree, Noboa stated that Abad was barred from holding public office based on legal issues and insubordination.

The ministry accused her of committing a serious disciplinary offence by not complying with a Noboa order to travel to Turkey on set dates.

In the April election, Noboa faces leftist Luisa Gonzalez, in an unexpectedly tight contest featuring the same two candidates who were in a 2023 snap election.

Reuters