Ecuadorian lawmakers elect new vice-president

QUITO - Ecuador's National Assembly on Saturday elected Maria Alejandra Vicuna to serve as the country's vice-president, after her predecessor Jorge Glas was sentenced to six years in prison for corruption.

Vicuna, 39, was minister of Urban Development and Housing until President Lenin Moreno designated her to fill in as acting vice president in October.

Saturday's legislative session was attended by 106 lawmakers, out of a total of 137, and 70 voted in favor of Vicuna, one more than the needed legislative majority of 69.

Moreno had also submitted the names of Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Fernanda Espinoza and Justice Minister Rosana Alvarado to the assembly, but Vicuna, who has served in the public sector for 10 years, led the list.

Glas was accused of illicit association within the bribery scheme run by Brazilian construction firm, Odebrecht. The firm, which admitted to US prosecutors to operating a multinational bribery operation, won five major public works contracts in Ecuador.