Verónica Abad, vice president of Ecuador: ‘President Noboa has lost his moral compass, he is a totalitarian’

Ecuador’s Vice President Verónica Abad is packing her bags to return to her country. This comes after almost a year of being kept abroad as a “peace ambassador,” with the vague mission of “mediating” in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. And, just four days ago, she was removed from the government through an unprecedented political and legal move.

The Ministry of Labor sanctioned her with a 150-day-long suspension, accusing her of “unjustified abandonment of office” — a sentence that doesn’t apply to her situation, given that she’s an elected official. Additionally, the regulation that’s been invoked by the Minister of Labor doesn’t establish a five-month sanction, but rather a maximum of 30 days.

The government, which previously declared Abad a “political enemy,” seeks to prevent her from assuming the presidency when President Daniel Noboa is forced to leave office in January to run in the elections, scheduled for February 9, 2025. The administrative procedure, initiated by the Ministry of Labor, was activated after an order was issued by the Foreign Ministry, which decided to transfer Abad from Tel Aviv to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, arguing that they had to protect her in the face of escalating violence in Israel. The order was for Abad to arrive in Turkey on September 1, but she arrived eight days later, on the 9th, after sending the youngest two of her three children back to Ecuador.

In his latest political move, President Noboa appointed Planning Minister Sahira Moya as acting vice president, appealing to article 150 of the Constitution, due to the sitting VP’s temporary absence. Abad was sanctioned for a period of five months, coinciding with the second round of the elections in 2025, when the current administration’s term concludes. The entire government apparatus has reinforced the decision of the executive branch, including the Armed Forces. The head of the Joint Command, Jaime Vela, has referred to Abad as the “former vice president,” even though she still hasn’t lost her official position.

Without a proper title — and without security, a salary, or her family — Verónica Abad, 48, remains in Turkey. She tried to return to Ecuador to appear before the National Assembly, which summoned her to explain her situation. However, her attempt was unsuccessful.

In an interview with EL PAÍS via video call, Abad analyzes the details of her dismissal. She describes the president’s maneuver as an act of “totalitarianism” and denounces that the law has been violated by people who lack “scruples.”

Question. You’ve said that the only step missing for you not to continue in the government was for you “to be killed.” Do you think that the president would be capable of going that far?

Answer. He had to either [remove me from my office] or take my life to avoid [the process of presidential] succession. On the one hand, I didn’t imagine that he would go so far… on the other hand, yes, I did. What he did to me can only be done by someone without scruples, who’s willing to do anything. This is no longer just a political issue: the president is willing to do anything. It all began when — [using the excuse] of “my security” — they sent me to Turkey. They moved me from Israel to Ankara with a presidential decree that had no [justification]. They didn’t provide me with security in Israel, either. Not here, not anywhere. And that’s not all. The administrative [apparatus] — as we’ve just seen — is in his hands. The government manipulated the entire administrative structure to suit itself, without legal support, trampling on the laws and using power to intimidate me. That’s why I’m calling on the courts to determine the legitimacy of the government’s actions.

Q. How have you reacted to the decision taken by the Ministry of Labor, which sanctioned you with a 150-day-long suspension?

A. We presented a protective [legal] action for precautionary measures. This has already been assigned to a judge. We also asked the National Assembly to deal with this issue, to oversee it and to ask the Constitutional Court for clarification about this case. The [Office of the] Vice Presidency is going through a frightening moment, with the appointment of the person who’s now in charge. So, we’ve presented a declaration [stating that] this is a state of rebellion. Our right to resist this outrageous action — of placing a new person in charge of the vice presidency — is now in writing. We’ve also raised the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), so that it can urgently review the president’s [decision] to opt for my direct dismissal. This isn’t a decision by the Minister of Labor: this is an order of the president and he should be judged for that.

Q. Was it an order from the president?

A. Absolutely. And he’s not going to stop. [On Wednesday, November 13], he already said that he has asked the new minister of the government to investigate bank accounts in tax havens — which have been invented — that my son [supposedly] has. He’s going to have to answer to the international bodies, which don’t seem to be following what he’s doing. He’s a president who continues to soil others with mud, so that everyone else will look bad and nobody can see the evil within him.

Q. Do you think that the decision by the justice system will be made before January 5, when you should assume power?

A. I hope that it will. But it’s also true that we’re facing a judicial system that’s under pressure from powers that don’t respect the rule of law.

Q. Have you spoken with anyone from the IACHR to expedite a precautionary measure and correct this sanction?

A. Not directly. 15 days ago, the UN Human Rights Committee held a hearing in Geneva, where the commission questioned the Ecuadorian authorities about the case. The minister of women and the attorney general were present… they never spoke about the issue, nor did they give answers regarding my case, or about other cases that are being discussed. The committee referred to its concern that justice in Ecuador is being seriously restricted by different powers, including the executive branch.

Q. What do you plan to say to the National Assembly, which has summoned you?

A. The truth. [The duty of the legislators] is to oversee. To say that — amidst all of this — there’s a lack of accountability, as well as officials who, while obeying the president’s order, have done illegal things. We have to rescue the separation of powers. A single power cannot take over the country.

Q. If the precautionary measures don’t move forward, what will you do?

A. I’ll remain steadfast. I continue to believe in democracy. The laws are [meant to guarantee] freedom, for us to live in order and justice. And now, I want to fight harder for that. This isn’t going to weaken me, on the contrary.

Q. What bothered President Noboa so much about you?

A. I don’t know. But I think the president lost sight of his [moral compass] and sees Ecuador as his property. We’re facing a person who has committed dictatorial acts.

Q. Is the president a dictator?

A. Yes, of course. He’s a totalitarian. He’s demonstrated this from the start, by exiling me. The ceiling of a democratic president should be the law, to limit their power… and he doesn’t like to abide by the law, because he believes himself to be all-powerful.

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