The Vice President of Ecuador, Veronica Abadwho also stepped away as ambassador to Israel, said that she and diplomatic staff feel their lives are in danger because of the escalating conflict with Hamas. In electronic testimony before a legislative committee, Abad urged the chancellor Gabriella Sommerfeld that an emergency evacuation plan will not be implemented.
Statements by Veronica Abad
Abad expressed his concern for his safety, saying: “I fear for my life”. Since December of last year, he has been meeting in Israel at the order of the president Daniel Noboa. The vice president also mentioned that he had urged the signing of a contingency plan, based on an agreement with Chile, which would allow the relocation of the diplomatic corps in the event of an imminent conflict.
While Chipre could offer refuge, Abad indicated that his team faced constant negatives in executing this plan. “We were five months away from being allowed to suffer,” he stated, submerging his fear for the failure of safety measures.
Internal political conflict
The situation is complicated by the tensions between Abad and Noboa, exacerbated by the electoral campaign. No one has slandered the Abbey of “desleal”, while claiming that the government intends to pressure it to return. The accusations of the administrative secretary, Felix Wongon Abad's supposed personal benefits in managing the campaign's resources, has intensified the conflict.
She denounced that these attacks are part of a “political violence” and announced that she would take legal action in this regard. The chairwoman of the legislative commission, James Morenohe urged the government to guarantee Abad's safety, stating that as an Ecuadorian state, it cannot allow the vice president to be in danger.
Context of the crisis
The Ecuadorian embassy in Israel has been in the spotlight after a drone attack on July 19, which left victims near its headquarters in Tel Aviv. This incident has exposed diplomatic personnel in a context of rising tensions.
The political situation in Ecuador has become even more fragile, especially after the Assembly denied authorization for a juice in Contra de Abad, which prevented her from defending the charges in her case.
The Ecuadorian Constitution establishes that the vice president must succeed the president in case of temporary or permanent absence, as it adds a layer of complexity to the current crisis.
