Esteban Torres is the new first vice president of the Legislature

Esteban Torres Cobo, an assembly member from Acción Democrática Nacional (ADN), has been appointed the new first vice president of Ecuador's National Assembly. He secured the position with 84 votes and will serve until May 2027, filling the vacancy left by Niels Olsen.

The National Assembly restructured its leadership on June 10, 2026, during its 100th session. Torres received the necessary support, surpassing the 77 votes required for an absolute majority. This vacancy arose after Niels Olsen Peet resigned and Mishel Mancheno was elevated to the presidency of the Legislature just two days prior.

Torres's candidacy was put forward by independent assembly member Pablo Jurado, who highlighted his academic background and strategic experience. His appointment was backed by various political blocs, including ADN, independent sectors, dissenting members of the Revolución Ciudadana, Pachakutik, and the Partido Social Cristiano.

A lawyer by training, Torres graduated from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and holds a master's degree from Queen Mary University of London. His prior roles include serving as ADN's bloc leader, second vice president of the Assembly in 2023, and deputy minister of government. He began his parliamentary career in 2018 and has been an active member of the Commission on Justice and State Structure.

Upon taking office, Torres stressed the importance of the Assembly adopting a constructive stance toward national development. "The Assembly is not meant to be an instrument of obstruction or paralysis, but to build what Ecuadorians seek," he stated, expressing gratitude to President Daniel Noboa. The role of the first vice president is particularly significant now. According to the Organic Law of the Legislative Function, this position immediately substitutes the president in case of absence. Given that the current president, Mishel Mancheno, is pregnant, Torres is expected to temporarily assume leadership when Mancheno takes her maternity leave.