Ecuador's national court asks parliament for permission to prosecute Vice President Veronica Abad

National Court of Justice Ecuador This Wednesday, he sought authorization from the Legislative Assembly (Parliament) to criminally prosecute the Vice President. Veronica AbadA judicial waiver is available after the Attorney General's Office requests it In connection with the corruption case against his son.

National Judge Daniela Camacho, in a document accessed by the news agency APHe directed a request to be sent to the President of the National Assembly, Engineer Henry Kronfl, “so that, within 48 hours, the Assembly may proceed to issue a report on the matter.” Authorization for Criminal Prosecution” Abad.

Camacho made such a demand in the legislature The Vice President has the power of impeachment of the National Court only if at least 92 of the 137 members of the legislature approve it.

The initial charge in this case is to offer influence peddling, but it can be converted to brainstorming, which involves using a position to solicit funds or contributions.

Last Monday, the Attorney General's Office assured that there was enough evidence to implicate Abad in the process. The Public Ministry said that “it has been determined that Veronica Abbott is alleged to have participated in this case” after expertise, including expanding the complainant's version, obtaining documents and phone records.

According to the prosecutor's office, the case arose A former vice presidential official denounced the official's son, Francisco Barreiro, and another man for giving him a high post that required him to pay $1,700 of his $3,200 monthly salary. As a guarantee of payment, the complainant signed a promissory note for $30,600.

A week ago, the vice president responded electronically to a call from the prosecutor's office in connection with an alleged corruption case in which his son was being investigated, but he did not answer questions for other reasons because it was not there. He explained to her whether she was called as a witness or a suspect.

For this case, The vice president's son was detained for nearly 45 days in a maximum security prison since March 21. He was released after posting $20,000 bail.

While waiting for the response of the legislators, the National Court next week invited Barreiro and Daniel Redrovan (close to the Vice President) to an oral, public and adversarial hearing, reorganizing the charges and joining the tax investigation phase.

The case was in charge of prosecutor Carlos Alargón and judge Maria Fernanda Castro, but due to Abad's jurisdiction, they decided on Monday to send it to the attorney general's office and the national court, respectively.

The vice president has been in Israel since December, fulfilling ambassadorial duties by appointing President Daniel Nobo., which started during the campaign and worsened after he came to power on November 23 last year, has maintained a tight rift with him. The reasons for the split were not explained.

Ecuador's government, on the other hand, said Wednesday it would not “seriously” seek the 92 votes needed in the National Assembly to impeach Vice President Veronica Abad.

The government's deputy minister, Esteban Torres, announced in a press conference that the executive will be attentive to what happens in the legislature. “We are not going to actively seek 92 votes,” he said from a government ministry in Quito, adding that if history were to be revisited, Ecuador's parliament must always “continue the legal process”Either with express approval or with implied approval by refusing to discuss the topic.

Two weeks ago, Torres promised Vice President Abad's temporary assumption of presidency “catastrophic” In that regard, he said, it has not yet been considered whether Abad could be replaced by another person in the position if President Daniel Nobowa gives him the power when he is re-elected as a candidate in the 2025 elections. At the same time, he declared that “what the Constitution establishes is clear” and that in the hypothetical case of his not assuming the presidency, “the person who does so must be someone of ministerial rank”.

Nobo has accused Abad, who has now established himself as one of the most critical voices against the government, of leading the persecution against him to force him to resign and to prevent him from assuming the interim presidency. Re-election.

(With information from AP and EFE)