Exiled former Ecuadoran president runs for office

The exiled former president of Ecuador, Abdala Bucaram, has been chosen by members of his party to run in presidential elections in May.

His populist party Partido Rodolsista held a convention in Panama City to nominate him as a candidate.

A year ago, he was dismissed as President by the Ecuadorean Congress on the grounds of mental incapacity.

The authorities in Ecuador have been trying to secure his extradition from Panama to face charges of misusing public funds.

Last week, the Supreme Court in Ecuador sentenced Mr Bucaram to two years in jail after convicting him of slandering political rivals.

He denies all the charges against him and says they are an attempt to prevent him from running for the presidency again.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service