Ecuadorian Vice President Verónica Abad will not, for now, be prosecuted in a corruption case against her son after lawmakers blocked the measure on Friday.
Quito, Ecuador– Ecuador’s Vice President Verónica Abad will not, for now, be charged in a corruption case against her son after lawmakers blocked the measure on Friday.
Lawmakers denied authorization for Abad’s criminal prosecution in a vote prompted by an order from the country’s National Court to decide whether prosecutors could move forward. As a result of the vote, authorities must now postpone Abad’s prosecution until she leaves office in 2025.
Prosecutors have accused Abad of collusion and have claimed to have evidence linking her to the case of her son, Francisco Barreiro. He was arrested in March after authorities revealed corruption allegations against him.
Authorities have said that a former member of the vice presidency reported that Barreiro offered him a high-level position with a monthly salary of $3,200, of which the complainant would have to give Barreiro $1,700 per month. Authorities say the complainant signed a promissory note for $30,600 as a guarantee of payment.
Abad and Barreiro have denied the accusations through a lawyer.
The case against Barreiro, who is free on bail, has put the spotlight on Abad and his long-fractured relationship with President Daniel Noboa. He has described her as “disloyal,” while she has accused him and her allies of trying to pressure her into resigning.
Shortly after taking office in November, Noboa sent Abad to Israel, where she serves as ambassador.
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