Ecuador army chief sacked over errors leading to defense minister's death
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa sacked armed forces chief Gen. Pedro Machado on Friday, citing security errors which led to a helicopter crash that killed the defense minister and six others in January.

"General Machado has been removed from his post, not so much due to the accident in itself, nor due to speculation over a possible murder, but because of the administrative and security decisions he made ahead of the flight," said Ricardo Patino, acting defense minister.

Machado, who only took office on Jan. 14, will be replaced by Guillermo Vasconez, head of the joint chiefs of staff.

The fatal flight on Jan. 24 killed Defense Minister Guadalupe Larriva just nine days after she was appointed. Larriva, 50, had been Ecuador's first woman defense minister.

Her teenage daughter and five soldiers also died in the accident, when two helicopters crashed close to the Portoviejo Army Base, in southeast Ecuador, as they returned from a night shooting exercise.

Patino said that Ecuador will also launch an official investigation into Col. Rene Vazquez, who was in charge of the exercise.

"Vazquez will have to fulfill the official requirements relating to an investigation of his actions and decisions ahead of the accident," said Patino.

Patino said President Rafael Correa had appointed Lorena Escudero as the country's new defense minister. Escudero, a 41-year-old college professor, is to take charge late Friday. She will become the second woman defense minister in Ecuador's history.