Judge Mercedes Caicedo leads the shortlist submitted to appoint a substitute for Mario Godoy at the Council of the Judiciary following the dismissal of Alexandra Villacís.
In Ecuador, the interim president of the National Court of Justice (CNJ), Marco Rodríguez, has presented a shortlist to the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS) for the appointment of a substitute member to fill the vacancy left by Mario Godoy, following the dismissal of Alexandra Villacís. The shortlist includes notable figures from the judiciary such as national judge Mercedes Caicedo, provincial judge Oscar Chamorro, and public official María Morejón.
The submission of this shortlist came on the evening of February 12, 2026, prompting the president of the CPCCS, Andrés Fantoni, to convene an extraordinary session to consider the nominees. This meeting is set for February 13, 2026, indicating a swift response to the need for leadership in the Council of the Judiciary. The prompt assembly of the shortlist and the session underscores the urgency of maintaining continuity and stability within the national judiciary system.
This development is significant not only for its immediate impact on the Council of the Judiciary but also in terms of the broader judicial landscape in Ecuador. The decisions made in the upcoming sessions will influence the governance of the judiciary and how it navigates challenges amid political scrutiny. As new leadership is confirmed, the focus will be on ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of judicial operations in the context of ongoing reforms and public expectations of accountability within Ecuador's legal framework.
