Sandra Naranjo Appointed Vice President of Ecuador

National Secretary of Planning Sandra Naranjo, will be the vice president of the Republic of Ecuador until Feb. 19, replacing the incumbent, Jorge Glas, while he runs as the vice presidential candidate on the governing Alianza Pais ticket with Lenin Moreno as the presidential candidate.

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Secretary of Communication Patricio Barriga confirmed Wednesday night the appointment of Naranjo. He wrote from his Twitter account: "@MashiRafael appoints @sandynaranjo vice president of the Republic. Extraordinary woman of Tonga, a great professional."

Sandra Naranjo, a graduate in economics and finance with a specialization in mathematics, will remain in charge of the National Secretariat for Planning and Development (SENPLADES), a post she's held since October 2015. Previously she was Minister of Tourism.

She is the second woman to serve as vice president of Ecuador, the first being Rosalía Arteaga, who was elected as vice president in 1996 and served in that role for two years.

On Wednesday, the National Assembly approved the unpaid leave of Vice President Glas, with 75 affirmative votes and 19 abstentions.

Glass' request is in accordance with article 93 of the Code of Democracy, which states that "dignitaries who opt for immediate re-election" may use the unpaid leave "from the registration of their candidatures until the day after the elections."

Over 12 million Ecuadorian voters will go to the polls on February 19 to select one of the eight candidates running for President. They will also elect the members of the National Assembly and the representatives to the Andean Parliament. Voting is mandatory in the country for all eligible voters, with voting age beginning at 16.