The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, has appointed Sariha Moya as acting vice president following the 150-day suspension of Vice President and Ambassador to Israel, Verónica Abad. The suspension occurred due to her failure to appear in Ankara, where she was relocated from Tel Aviv for security reasons amid a conflict in the Middle East.
Abad, who is currently in Turkey, has described the measure as a "blatant violation of the Constitution and laws." In a video shared on social media, she accused Noboa of preparing a "coup d'état" for January 2025, assuming that he would not respect the delegation of presidential functions that would belong to him during the electoral campaign.
The situation is exacerbated by prior antagonisms between Noboa and Abad, which date back even before he assumed the presidency. Abad has reported pressures to resign and has warned of dictatorial practices by the government. She has called for oversight of presidential actions and other ministries and for transparency from the authorities.
Amid litigation in the Electoral Contentious Tribunal, where Abad has been fined but not barred from office, allegations of supposed gender violence between her and Noboa could lead to the eventual removal of both. The political tension between Noboa and Abad has characterized their relationship from the beginning, when Noboa appointed her as ambassador to Israel, triggering a conflictual situation that has led to the current crisis.
