The legislative chamber of the provincial government of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas has rejected an official request for unpaid leave submitted by Prefect Johana Núñez. The decision was made during an extraordinary session held on Wednesday, September 9, in the western Ecuadorian province.
Núñez had formally asked to step away from her administrative duties from September 10 until November 8, 2026. The extraordinary session convened at 11:00 a.m. specifically to evaluate the leave request as the single item on its agenda.
In Ecuador, a prefect serves as the chief executive officer of a provincial government, leading the local administration and presiding over a council composed of municipal mayors and regional representatives. Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas is a province located between the Andean mountains and the coastal plains, governed from its capital city of Santo Domingo.
The session included both in-person and virtual attendance by regional representatives. Viceprefect Alfonso Andrade and councilors Patricio Paredes and Paola Puco attended in person, while councilors Hólger García, Amada Rivera and Ximena Toro participated remotely.
Sandra Ocampo, the mayor of La Concordia, a canton situated within the province, did not attend the meeting.
Legal Basis Questioned
During the session, councilor Paola Puco introduced a motion seeking approval for the prefect's requested leave. However, the proposal failed to gather the necessary votes from members of the legislative body.
Speaking on behalf of Mayor Clara Hinojosa, councilor Ximena Toro challenged the validity of the application. Toro stated that Articles 534 and 535 of Ecuador's Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code, known locally as the COIP, did not justify granting unpaid leave under the proposed format.
The COIP functions as Ecuador's primary statute book governing criminal procedures and public offenses. Toro explained that the prefect had also failed to provide sufficient justification for the motive behind her requested absence.
Toro further referenced the ongoing legal proceedings facing Núñez, arguing that the court case generates operational uncertainty for the governance of the provincial council.
Illicit Enrichment Investigation
The leave application follows recent court rulings against the provincial leader. On Sunday, September 6, an anti-corruption judge in the neighboring province of Pichincha ordered pre-trial detention for Núñez, who faces an ongoing investigation into alleged illicit enrichment.
In addition to ordering her detention, the Pichincha magistrate mandated the freezing of financial assets totaling $309,646 connected to the prefect. The judge also placed a legal prohibition on the sale or transfer of her real estate holdings.
Specialized anti-corruption courts in Ecuador are centralized in Pichincha province, where the national capital of Quito is located, to process high-level public integrity cases across the country.
Administrative Future Unclear
Following the rejection of the motion, the extraordinary session ended without a clear administrative resolution. Neither Viceprefect Alfonso Andrade nor the institution's legal team explained the formal procedure that must be followed after the denial of the leave request.
The council's decision leaves the management of the prefecture pending as the requested absence period begins. Local authorities have not yet announced how executive duties will be handled while Núñez remains under judicial detention.
