[JURIST] Brazil has granted asylum to ousted Ecuadoran President Lucio Gutierrez [Wikipedia profile], Brazil's Ministry of External Relations [official website] said Thursday. The Ministry said Gutierrez sought asylum Wednesday at the Brazilian embassy in Quito, calling its grant of the request a "regional tradition." Gutierrez was removed from his position on Wednesday by a congressional vote [JURIST report] after a day of protests and a no-confidence vote by the military following his declaration of a brief state of emergency and his dismissal of the country's Supreme Court [JURIST report]. Vice President Alfredo Palacio was sworn-in [Knight Ridder report] as president following Gutierrez's removal, making him Ecuador's seventh president in 10 years. From Quito, the Diario Hoy has local coverage [in Spanish] of the events. AFP has more.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• Ecuador congress removes president for "abandoning position"
• Ecuador president refuses resignation in face of protests, impeachment threats
• Ecuador congress to consider presidential impeachment
• Ecuador supreme court dismissed by president