Hours after judge reinstates Abad as vice president, Noboa assigns her new diplomatic duties in Turkey

Family Court Judge Nubia Vera on Monday dismissed the 150-day suspension of Vice President Veronica Abad by the Labor Ministry, claiming it was improperly applied. The ruling reinstates Abad to full vice-presidential status.

Vice President Veronica Abad celebrates her legal victory on Monday.

The suspension, ordered by Labor Minister Ivonne Núñez, would have prevented Abad from assuming presidential duties, as prescribed by the constitution, while President Daniel Noboa campaigns for reelection next year.

In her ruling, Vera said that the Labor Ministry not only violated its own procedures but ignored that fact that Abad, under orders from Noboa, was performing diplomatic duties as Ambassador to Israel. “The rules that apply to officers in diplomatic service are not subject to oversight by the Ministry of Labor,” the judge said.

Vera ordered Núñez to make a public apology to Abad, acknowledging the mistake of the suspension order.

Less than two hours after the judge’s ruling, Noboa gave Abad a new overseas assignment as coordinator of economic relations between Ecuador and Turkey. She was given until December 27 to report to Ankara. As of early Monday night, Abad said she had not been informed of the assignment.

As notable as Vera’s ruling in favor of Abad was the judge’s claim that she had been pressured by President of the National Judiciary Council Mario Godoy to rule against the vice president. According to Vera, Godoy, Pichincha Judiciary Director Henry Gaibor and a legal advisor to Godoy offered her legal directions of how to dismiss Abad’s suspension challenge. “They provided details of the plan in writing, which I have saved on a flash memory drive,” Vera said.

Vera said Godoy’s advice to rule against Abad came with the implied threat that she could be dismissed from the bench if she did follow directions.

Following Vera’s claim of intimidation, National Assemblyman Jorge Peñafiel (Construye) said he would initiate impeachment proceedings against Godoy. “It seems that this government has learned nothing from the Metastasis, Purge and Plague cases,” he said. “The concepts of judicial independence, the division of powers and democratic principles appear to mean nothing to those in power.”