QUITO, Nov 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ecuador’s vice president will take up a post in Tel Aviv to pursue a peace agreement between Israeli and the Palestinians, the government in Quito said.
President Daniel Noboa, who took office on Thursday for an abbreviated 18-month term, assigned the peace portfolio to Vice President Veronica Abad as her “sole function,” a statement said.
Abad will work out of Ecuador’s embassy in Tel Aviv as “collaborator for peace and to prevent the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” it said without specifying when she will travel there or for how long.
Ecuador’s Constitution says the vice president will take over for the president in case of a temporary or permanent absence, but for the rest of the time will exercise the functions assigned by the president.
“This decision represents a historic milestone, setting a precedent for Ecuador’s significant commitment to international peace and underscoring our determination to promote stability in a region affected by protracted conflicts,” the government said.
However, national media have reported an alleged distancing between Noboa and Abad since their August electoral win.
After being sworn in on Thursday, they have both carried out several official activities.
Noboa attended a lunch at the presidential headquarters, attended by some 600 guests, while Abad went to a food market in Quito to have lunch with vendors.
The announcement by the Ecuadoran government comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, accompanied by a partial hostage release.
“We thank the government of Ecuador for the effort and interest in mediating for the peace of the people of Israel,” the Israeli embassy in Quito said on X, formerly Twitter. — NNN-AGENCIES
