President of Ecuador officially announces he will not seek reelection in August elections

The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, officially announced yesterday, Friday, that he will not seek reelection in the early general elections that the South American country will hold next August 20.

“Today, after a deep reflection, I want to announce (…) that I will not accept the postulation as a candidate to the Presidency of the Republic in the next elections of August 20”, said Lasso in a press conference at the Government Palace, in Quito.

“That yes, let something be very clear: this is far from an endpoint; rather, it is a new beginning for this government (…) The work does not stop; on the contrary, it will be redoubled,” added Lasso, a former conservative banker who assumed the Presidency on May 24, 2021.

The 67-year-old president was the first choice as a candidate of the ruling center-right Movimiento Creando Oportunidades (CREO) for the extraordinary elections.

Lasso added that it makes no sense for him to campaign when the country needs him, supporting citizens, and when there are still goals to achieve and challenges to overcome.

“Today, we will continue with our work agenda that puts the citizens’ feelings above any political dispute,” he added.

Lasso pointed out that holding the president’s office has been the greatest honor of his life.

He expressed that if his duty as president requires him to leave office to protect democracy, he will do it a thousand times without fear and with a clear conscience.

The president called on Ecuadorians to reflect on their vote in the upcoming elections and stated that during his administration, a new period of stability and recovery was inaugurated, which two years ago was difficult to imagine

He acknowledged, however, that not everything has been perfect and added that the post-pandemic stage of the new coronavirus had brought challenges difficult to foresee, such as crime associated with drug trafficking, which plagues the South American country.

Ecuador will hold early presidential and legislative elections after President Lasso dissolved the National Assembly (Congress) on May 17 after decreeing the constitutional figure of “cross death”, which calls for early elections.

After the dissolution of the Legislative Power, Lasso governs by decrees after a favorable opinion of the Constitutional Court.

The new government and Assembly could be installed in November 2023 and will only exercise functions until May 2025, when Lasso’s government should end.

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