Ecuador Judge Suspends Vice President’s Rights for Two Years
- Ruling, if upheld, effectively removes Abad from office
- It’s latest twist in feud with Noboa, who faces tight runoff
An electoral court suspended the political rights of Ecuador’s second-in-command for engaging in what it said was gender-related violence, effectively removing her from office amid her feud with President Daniel Noboa.
The court found late Thursday that Vice President Veronica Abad had libeled Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld, suspending Abad from politics for two years beyond the end of her term in May. The sentence includes a $14,000 fine and orders Abad to issue a public apology to Sommerfeld. Abad may appeal, a process that could take up to three months.