International
The Vice President of Ecuador seeks to reverse the suspension imposed by the Government in Justice
The suspended vice president of Ecuador and ambassador to Israel, Verónica Abad, asked the Justice to annul the sanction imposed by the Government that prevents her from exercising office for five months and, therefore, assuming presidential functions when President Daniel Noboa must request leave for the electoral campaign of the 2025 elections, where he seeks his re-election.
The suspension was issued by the Ministry of Labor for not having traveled from Tel Aviv to Ankara within the deadline set by the Government, which considered it as a temporary abandonment of her position as vice president, within the heated confrontation between Noboa and Abad, who has denounced the president for alleged political gender violence and has accused him of leading harassment with the intention of forcing his resignation.
Distancing between the president and the vice president of Ecuador
The distance between Noboa and Abad began in the electoral campaign of the 2023 elections and was reflected when he assumed their positions, when the ruler sent her to Israel as ambassador for the country, with the aim of mediating the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
Abad, who returned to Quito a few days ago, personally appeared at the hearing on the protection action against his suspension, where Judge Nubia Vera heard the parties and several lawyers, women’s movements and academics, who gave their views on the relevance and constitutionality of the sanction.
The vice president had already filed an appeal for amparo when the Ministry opened the administrative summary, but another judge denied the protection.
“A historic cause for the country”
“This is a historic cause for the country, over 194 years of constitutionalism in Ecuador it is the first time that an administrative authority imposes itself before an authority of popular choice, so it is necessary to establish in this case if this administrative act is above the Constitution and prevails over rights,” said Damián Armijos, from the Abad’s legal team, at the beginning of the hearing.
The lawyer asked the judge to declare that the administrative summary violated the political rights, legal certainty, due process and the presumption of innocence of the vice president, among others, and to order that the decision be reversed.
In addition, he demanded that the Minister of Labor, Ivonne Núñez, issue a public apology through a message to the nation, among other sanctions, as part of the comprehensive reparation.
However, the Ministry’s defense insisted that Abad is a public official, so that portfolio did have the power to open an administrative summary and sanction her, and emphasized that her political rights were not violated because she is not prevented from holding public office.
No legal basis for the sanction
One of the key moments of the hearing occurred when Judge Vera asked the Ministry’s lawyer to specify in which part of the Ecuadorian legislation it is determined that the sanction that the vice president received should be 150 days.
The defense took several minutes to look for normative support and in the end admitted that, in the face of a serious offense, the Public Service Law (Losep) does not determine a limit of days of temporary suspension, so the decision was made “based on the rules of sound criticism.”
“Considering the impossibility of dismissing the vice president, the least burdensome decision has been made,” the lawyer added.
At another time, the judge asked the lawyer if the Foreign Service Law had been taken into account, which states that ambassadors have 30 days to move to their new headquarters. The lawyer answered no, because they were only competent to know summaries based on the Losep.
To replace Abad, Noboa appointed the national secretary of Planning Sariha Moya as “vice president in charge”, in an unprecedented event in the country.
International
Scottie Pippen’s dream predictions about Bitcoin gain attention as market faces volatility
Financial analyst Jim Bianco commented on Monday about Scottie Pippen’s dream encounters with Satoshi Nakamoto, noting that the NBA legend’s predictions about Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) have been surprisingly accurate.
What Happened Bianco, president and founder of Bianco Research, stated in a post on X that Pippen’s predictions have gained followers due to their accuracy, despite the strange methods he claims to use, such as receiving messages from Bitcoin’s anonymous creator in his dreams.
Bianco also analyzed Pippen’s latest forecast, in which the basketball star said, “I just took a nap, and Satoshi whispered to me: ‘Bitcoin will get closer to the Black Mamba numbers before it returns to Chamberlain.’”
According to Bianco, the post referenced NBA legends Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 81 and 100 points in a single game, respectively. Simply put, Pippen expected Bitcoin to drop to $81,000 before recovering to $100,000.
Why It Matters The world’s leading cryptocurrency has fallen below the key support level of $93,000 and is at risk of falling further. Since the Christmas rally, Bitcoin has dropped by up to 6.5%.
Earlier, Pippen grabbed attention by predicting Bitcoin would hit $84,000 on U.S. presidential election day. While the digital asset didn’t meet these predictions, it reached $84,000 a week later.
International
Ecuador Imposes 60-Day State of Emergency in Most Violent Provinces as Drug Gangs Clash
Ecuador, engaged in a war against drug trafficking gangs, has declared a new state of emergency in Quito and seven of its 24 provinces, which are considered the most violent, according to a presidential decree released on Friday.
The 60-day measure suspends the rights to the inviolability of the home and correspondence in the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Santa Elena, and El Oro, as well as the Amazonian provinces of Orellana and Sucumbíos. This state of emergency has been in effect since Thursday and was implemented due to the severe internal turmoil and internal armed conflict declared last year because of drug-related violence.
The decree includes Quito (in the province of Pichincha) and the towns of La Troncal (Cañar) and the mining town of Camilo Ponce Enríquez (Azuay), as well as the prison system, now under military control.
The government of Daniel Noboa, which began in November 2023, has consistently used this measure in response to an escalating wave of drug gangs fighting for control of the streets and prisons.
“This declaration is based on… the increase in violence rates, the commission of crimes, and the prolonged intensity of the presence of organized armed groups,” states the decree released on the presidential website.
International
Elon Musk’s comments on UK abuse scandal spark government response
A prominent British politician addressed Elon Musk’s recent criticism on Friday regarding the government’s handling of a historic child abuse scandal.
In recent days, Musk shared and reacted to posts on his social media platform X, condemning the UK government’s decision to reject a public inquiry into the child abuse scandal in Oldham, a town in northern England.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting dismissed Musk’s comments as “wrong and certainly misinformed” but extended an invitation to the tech mogul to collaborate with the government in combating child sexual exploitation.
The UK government argued that Oldham should follow the example of other cities by commissioning its own investigation into historical abuse. A 2022 report on safeguarding measures in Oldham between 2011 and 2014 highlighted failures by local agencies to protect children but found no evidence of a cover-up. The report noted “legitimate concerns” about far-right groups exploiting the high-profile convictions of predominantly Pakistani offenders across the country.
Musk has also criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of failing to bring justice to what many describe as “grooming gangs” during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013. On Friday, Musk referred to the scandals as a “massive crime against humanity.”
Speaking to ITV News, Streeting emphasized the government’s commitment to tackling child sexual exploitation. He welcomed Musk’s potential involvement, stating, “Some of the criticisms Elon Musk has made, I think, are wrong and certainly misinformed. But we are ready to work with him. With his social network, he has a significant role to play in helping the UK and other countries address this serious issue. If he wants to roll up his sleeves and work with us, we’d gladly welcome him.”
Musk’s apparent interest in UK politics has grown since the Labour Party’s landslide victory in the July 2024 elections, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
Scottie Pippen’s dream predictions about Bitcoin gain attention as market faces volatility
Ecuador Imposes 60-Day State of Emergency in Most Violent Provinces as Drug Gangs Clash
Elon Musk’s comments on UK abuse scandal spark government response
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
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