Ecuadorean Vice President Maria Alejandra Vicuña Resigns

Ecuadorean Vice President Maria Alejandra Vicuña resigned her position on Tuesday. Vicuña released a statement saying that she had presented her resignation to President Lenin Moreno, and she addressed the nation for the last time as the official vice president of Ecuador in a video.

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On Monday, Vicuña had asked a month of license without remuneration to focus on the preparation for her legal defense against corruption charges. Ecuadorean President Moreno "let go" of Vicuña, after said request, so that she could exercise her right to defense until Dec. 31. But also said that this should have gone directly to the Ecuadorean National Assembly, the country's legislative power.

However, she resigned on Tuesday afternoon alleging that she "prefer(s) that he (Lenin Moreno) should count on someone else to finally assume the great responsibilities he entrusted to me," Vicuña wrote in her statement. As she rejected the corruption accusations and said that they came from an "unscrupulous individual who has been loaned to forge this vile deed."

"The country wants and needs peace," stated Vicuña arguing that her resignation will improve the possibilities of dissolving the instability that Ecuador is living and that "doesn't deserve." As a vice presidency without functions doesn't do any good for the country.

Vicuña argued that she doesn't need any public positions in order to continue with her work, that she has been doing since she started her militancy at 14 years-old according to her statement. "I will continue, without resting, my work to service an Ecuador of justice and radically democratic." And stated that "reason" is with her.

She concluded her statement by wishing to President Moreno and his cabinet ministers  "that reason also accompanies them in the exercise of their delicate functions and the best of accomplishments for the benefit of the Ecuadorean people."

The State Attorney General's Office started legal proceedings against Vicuña Monday.  The Vice-Presidency went to Jose Augusto Briones, who was the Secretary General of the Presidency, on Monday, and he continues to be the acting Vice President.

Vicuña had been accused of receiving bribes while she was a lawmaker in return for giving jobs. Angel Sagbay, a former adviser in the office of Vicuña, claimed in a sworn statement that he worked for Vicuña in two different positions, and in order to get the positions, he had to make monthly payments of between US$300 and US$1,400 dollars from 2011 to 2013 directly to Vicuña.