Gabriela Rivadeneira facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gabriela Rivadeneira
Rivadeneira in 2017
President of the National Assembly
In office 14 May 2013 – 14 May 2017
Preceded by	Fernando Cordero Cueva
Succeeded by	José Serrano
Member of the National Assembly for the National Constituency
In office 14 May 2013 – 14 May 2021
Governor of Imbabura Province
In office 28 July 2011 – 9 November 2012
President	Rafael Correa
Preceded by	Pedro Dávila
Succeeded by	Marcelo Villamarín
Vice Prefect of Imbabura Province
In office 31 August 2009 – 27 July 2011
President	Rafael Correa
Personal details
Born	(1983-07-25) 25 July 1983 (age 42) Quito, Ecuador
Political party	PAIS Alliance (Before 2018) Citizen Revolution Movement (After 2018)
Website	gabrielarivadeneira.com

Gabriela Alejandra Rivadeneira Burbano (born 25 July 1983) is an important politician from Ecuador. She served as the President of the National Assembly of Ecuador from May 2013 to May 2017. Before that, she was the Governor of Imbabura Province from 2011 to 2012. She has been a key figure in Ecuadorian politics for many years.

After 2017, she became the executive secretary of the PAIS Alliance political party. Later, when there were changes within the PAIS Alliance, she joined the Citizen Revolution Movement.

Early Life and Community Involvement

Gabriela Rivadeneira was born in Quito, Ecuador. She was the first of four children in her family. When she was five years old, her family moved to Otavalo.

In 2000, at the age of seventeen, Gabriela won the beauty pageant title of Reina del Yamor, which means Queen of Yamor. This achievement made her well-known in her local community. Her popularity helped her to start a successful career in local politics.

Gabriela attended the Colegio Santa Juana de Chantal. During her time there, she was very active in student leadership. She became the president of the advice board and also led the student board.

Cultural Activism and Youth Projects

Gabriela Rivadeneira showed her passion for community work from a young age. In 1998, when she was just fourteen, she started a cultural organization called Mirarte. She saw this organization as a way to express her feelings about the government in Ecuador at that time.

Mirarte later helped to create the first children's film in Ecuador, called Sara la Espantapájaros. Gabriela even had a role in this movie. She has also shared that in her youth, she used to create graffiti art. This was her way of protesting against big issues like foreign debt and certain trade agreements.

Political Journey and Leadership Roles

Gabriela Rivadeneira began her political career in her hometown. She served as a councilwoman for the municipality of Otavalo from 2004 to 2008. She won elections in both 2004 and 2008.

From 2004 to 2006, she was a member of the Pachakutik party. In 2006, she left that party and joined a group that later became part of the PAIS Alliance. She also served as the vice mayor of Otavalo from 2006 to 2008.

Leadership in Imbabura Province

From 2009 to 2011, Gabriela Rivadeneira was the vice prefect of Imbabura Province. She was also a member of the national leadership team of the PAIS Alliance from 2010 to 2012.

On 28 July 2011, she became the Governor of Imbabura Province. She took over this role after the previous Governor, Pedro Dávila, stepped down. To become governor, she had to leave her position as Vice Prefect. At 28 years old, Gabriela Rivadeneira made history. She became not only the first female governor of Imbabura Province but also the youngest person to hold that position. President Rafael Correa chose her for this important role.

On 9 November 2012, Gabriela Rivadeneira resigned as governor. This allowed her to run in the 2013 general election. In March 2013, she was part of the Ecuadorian group that attended the funeral of Hugo Chávez.

National Assembly President

In the February 2013 elections, Gabriela Rivadeneira led the PAIS Alliance list for the National Assembly. She received a large number of votes, totaling 3,498,379. On 14 May 2013, she was chosen as the President of the National Assembly. She received 107 out of 137 votes, showing strong support from her colleagues.

After becoming President of the National Assembly, some people thought she might become a future President of Ecuador. However, she was not old enough to be president at that time, as the minimum age is 35.

In May 2015, Gabriela Rivadeneira was re-elected as President of the National Assembly. In February 2016, she also became the President of the Latin American Parliament. She continued to be a strong voice for her political beliefs.

Her public approval rating changed over time. In December 2013, it was 45%, and by the end of 2016, it was 26.5%. In the 19 February 2017 elections, Rivadeneira was re-elected as a member of the National Assembly. She was the woman who received the most votes in that election.

On 1 May 2017, she was elected as the executive secretary of the PAIS Alliance. On 14 May 2017, José Serrano took over her role as President of the National Assembly. In January 2018, a court stated that she was no longer the executive secretary of the PAIS Alliance.

During a period of changes within the PAIS Alliance, Gabriela Rivadeneira supported Rafael Correa. She left the PAIS Alliance and became one of the leaders of the Citizen Revolution Movement. In October 2019, during a time of protests in Ecuador, Rivadeneira sought safety at the embassy of Mexico in Quito. On 9 January 2020, she moved to Mexico with her husband and children. As of May 2022, she was still in Mexico.

Personal Life

Gabriela Rivadeneira is married to Luis Flores, who is a writer. They have two children together. She has mentioned that she enjoys reading the works of Eduardo Galeano, a famous writer.

See also

In Spanish: Gabriela Rivadeneira para niños