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AFP
Quito
Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glas lost his title late Tuesday because he has been absent for more than three months -- locked up in prison on a six-year sentence for corruption.
Glas, 48, is the highest-ranking Latin American politician to be convicted and imprisoned for his role in a continent-wide scandal involving a Brazilian construction group, Odebrecht, which gave bribes to secure public works contracts.
He was given his six-year sentence on December 13 by Ecuador's Supreme Court after being found guilty of receiving $13.5 million in Odebrecht kickbacks. He says he is innocent and will appeal.
But, taking into account his detention since October 2 pending his trial, he has not been able to carry out his duties.
That means that at midnight Tuesday (0500 GMT Wednesday), Glas had failed to execute his functions as vice president for the three months allowed under the constitution. So he automatically lost his post.
Asked if that was right, the executive secretary of the ruling Country Alliance, Ricardo Zambrano, said:"Of course."
Zambrano added, in comments to the Ecuavisa television network, that President Lenin Moreno would have to ask Congress to choose a replacement.
