QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador President Daniel Noboa said on Monday that Vice President Veronica Abad will be sent to work in Turkey, a decision that came the same day that a judge overturned her temporary suspension from office.
Abad’s overturned suspension could stymie Noboa’s plan to take a leave of absence to campaign for reelection, as the officials continue a year-long feud.
In a statement, Noboa said Abad will be immediately appointed as temporary counselor at the country’s embassy in Turkey “to collaborate (on) the economic relations of Ecuador with the Government of the Republic of Turkey.”
Abad should start her work in Turkey before Friday, the statement added.
Noboa and Abad, who were elected last year to finish their predecessors’ terms, have repeatedly clashed, and Noboa sent Abad to Israel to act as ambassador and manage the South American country’s response to Israel’s war with Hamas.
Noboa is seen as unlikely to take an unpaid campaign leave ahead of the Feb. 9 presidential contest if it would mean Abad would briefly be in charge of Ecuador.
Abad was suspended by the labor ministry in November on accusations she committed a serious disciplinary offense by failing to follow an order from the foreign ministry to leave Israel for Turkey due to security concerns.
Ecuador’s labor ministry must make a public apology to Abad within 72 hours, said Judge Nubia Vera in her ruling.
Abad had rejected her suspension and said she was duly elected as vice president and therefore should assume the presidency during Noboa’s campaign.
The labor ministry said it would appeal the judge’s decision.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb and Oliver Griffin; Editing by Alistair Bell and Rod Nickel)
