Guillermo Lasso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guillermo Lasso
Lasso in 2023
47th President of Ecuador
In office 24 May 2021 – 23 November 2023
Vice President	Alfredo Borrero
Preceded by	Lenín Moreno
Succeeded by	Daniel Noboa
Ecuadorian Itinerant Ambassador
In office 15 January 2003 – 15 April 2003
President	Lucio Gutiérrez
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Minister of the Economy
In office 17 August 1999 – 24 September 1999 Serving with Ana Lucía Armijos
President	Jamil Mahuad
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Governor of Guayas
In office 10 August 1998 – 17 August 1999
President	Jamil Mahuad
Preceded by	Guido Chiriboga Parra
Succeeded by	Benjamín Rosales
Personal details
Born	Guillermo Alberto Santiago Lasso Mendoza (1955-11-16) 16 November 1955 (age 69) Guayaquil, Ecuador
Political party	Creating Opportunities
Spouse	María de Lourdes Alcívar ​ (m. 1980)​
Children	5
Education	Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (dropped out)

Guillermo Lasso (born 16 November 1955) is an Ecuadorian businessman, banker, and politician. He was the 47th president of Ecuador from 2021 to 2023. He was the first conservative president in Ecuador in almost 20 years. This showed a change in how people voted in the country.

Before becoming president, Lasso worked in different government roles. He was the Governor of Guayas from 1998 to 1999. He also briefly served as the Superminister of Economy in 1999. In 2003, he was Ecuador's Itinerant Ambassador for a short time. Besides politics, Lasso had a long career as a banker. He was the CEO of Banco Guayaquil. He became a well-known critic of former President Rafael Correa.

Lasso believes in traditional economic ideas. He supports limiting government power and protecting basic rights. He also wants lower taxes and a free-market economy. Lasso started his own political party, Creating Opportunities, in 2012. He ran for president three times. In 2013, he came in second place. In 2017, he lost by a small margin in the final round. In his third try in 2021, he won the election.

As president, Lasso focused on getting people vaccinated against COVID-19. He also tried to help the economy with tax changes and money from the International Monetary Fund. However, prices for food and fuel went up. This led to many protests across the country in 2022. There were concerns about how the government handled these protests. Lasso's popularity dropped a lot in 2022 and 2023. In May 2023, the National Assembly started a process to remove him from office. Lasso then used a special power called muerte cruzada to dissolve the Assembly. This led to new elections in 2023, where he did not run. Daniel Noboa became the new president.

Early Life and Education

Guillermo Lasso was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on 16 November 1955. He grew up in a middle-class family with ten siblings. His family faced money problems. When he was 15, Lasso started working to pay for his high school education. He went to Colegio La Salle High School. After high school, he studied economics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in Quito. However, he left before getting his degree.

In 1970, Lasso began working part-time at the Guayaquil Stock Exchange. He later worked at other financial companies. In 1978, at age 23, he started his first company, Constructora Alfa y Omega, with his older brother. In 1977, Lasso met María de Lourdes Alcívar. They got married in 1980 and have five children.

Business Career Highlights

Lasso in November 2008

In the 1990s, Lasso became the head of operations for Coca-Cola in Ecuador. He helped the company recover from financial problems. He also served on the boards of directors for other companies. He was the chairman of the Guayas Transit Commission.

In 1994, Lasso became the CEO of Banco Guayaquil. He started the Bancos del Barrio program. This program helped local shopkeepers work with the bank. It was praised for helping more people get banking services. Lasso left his CEO role in 2012. He is still the largest shareholder in Banco de Guayaquil. He also founded the Fundación del Barrio, a foundation that helps communities.

In March 2020, Lasso started the Saving Lives initiative. This project raised $8 million to buy medical supplies. It helped Ecuador fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Political Journey

Lasso during the 2013 election

In 1998, Lasso was made Governor of Guayas. During this time, the government sold off many public companies. In 1999, Ecuador faced a big economic crisis. Lasso was then appointed as the Superminister of the Economy for a short time. In this role, he worked with the International Monetary Fund to get economic help. He also helped coordinate the government's response to the crisis.

In January 2003, Lasso became the Ecuadorian Itinerant Ambassador. This was a new position created by President Lucio Gutiérrez. He served in this role for a few months. Before his first presidential campaign, Lasso founded the Creating Opportunities party. This party had policies that were different from the Rafael Correa government.

Lasso at a campaign event during the 2017 election

Early Presidential Campaigns

Lasso first ran for president in the 2013 Ecuadorian general election. He was the candidate for the Creating Opportunities party. He came in second place with 22.68% of the votes. The winner was the sitting President Rafael Correa.

In 2017, Lasso ran for president again. His campaign focused on "change." He promised to create one million new jobs in Ecuador. He made it to the final round of the election. He ran against former Vice President Lenín Moreno. Lasso lost the election by a small number of votes. After the results, Lasso claimed there was election fraud. In February 2017, Lasso said he would ask Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London if he won.

The 2021 Election Victory

Results from the 2021 run-off election in April

Lasso ran for president for the third time in the 2021 Ecuadorian general election. He chose neurosurgeon Alfredo Borrero as his running mate. In the first round, Lasso was slightly behind Yaku Pérez Guartambel. But he got enough votes to secure a close second-place finish.

In the final round, Lasso faced Andrés Arauz. Arauz was supported by former President Rafael Correa. Many people thought Arauz would win. However, Lasso defeated Arauz on 11 April. Lasso won 52.4% of the votes. News outlets noted this was a "conservative shift" in Ecuador. Lasso's win was also seen as a victory for those who support free markets.

After his win, leaders from other countries congratulated Lasso. These included the presidents of Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, and Paraguay. Former presidents of Argentina and Mexico also sent their good wishes. The White House, on behalf of President Joe Biden, congratulated Lasso. They praised Ecuador for showing peaceful and democratic participation.

Presidency (2021–2023)

Transition to Power

After his election, Ecuador's financial markets reacted positively. Many believed Lasso would keep the country's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Lasso promised to honor a $6.5 billion deal with the IMF. He also said his government would work closely with the United States, Chile, Brazil, and Colombia. He wanted to distance Ecuador from Cuba and Venezuela.

Lasso shortly after being inaugurated as president, May 2021

Lasso invited Juan Guaidó, a leader from Venezuela, to his inauguration. He did not invite President Nicolás Maduro. Lasso also said he would help the over 400,000 Venezuelan migrants living in Ecuador. He discussed giving them temporary protected status.

On 15 April, Lasso announced his first action as president. He would send a tax cut proposal to the National Assembly. This would remove a 2% sales tax for small businesses. It would also remove a tax on money sent out of the country.

On 20 April, Lasso met with President Lenín Moreno to begin the transfer of power. Moreno promised a smooth and clear transition. Lasso said his main goals were to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates. He aimed to vaccinate 9 million people in his first 100 days. He talked with Chile's president about getting loans for vaccines. He also planned talks with Russia, China, the United States, and the European Union.

On 27 April, Lasso named the first members of his cabinet. Many women were appointed to important roles. He said women should be in decision-making positions. On 14 May, the Social Christian Party (PSC) said they would not support Lasso's government. They felt he was not respecting a deal with another party.

Time in Office

Lasso taking the oath of office, May 2021

Lasso became the 47th president of Ecuador on 24 May 2021. The ceremony took place at Carondelet Palace in Quito. Many international leaders attended. Lasso was the first center-right president since 2003.

Lasso promised to increase COVID vaccinations. He also wanted to boost oil production and mining. One of his first actions was to expand the Ministry of Sports. He also canceled debts of citizens who owed $1,000. He put Vice President Alfredo Borrero in charge of improving healthcare and the COVID response.

He announced plans to sell off three refineries, highways, and the public telecommunications company. He also planned to sell Banco del Pacífico. He proposed tax breaks for tourism investments for 30 years.

In June 2021, Lasso launched a 100-day vaccine plan. He aimed to vaccinate 9 million people. He also talked with Russia to buy 18 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. Ecuador also got doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech and Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. By August 2021, almost 10 million people had received one dose.

Lasso's government was different from other right-leaning governments in South America. Despite his high approval, his party had little power in the National Assembly. His plans to privatize state resources and change labor laws were not approved by the assembly. In August 2021, Lasso visited Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. They discussed trade deals. Lasso wanted Ecuador to join the Pacific Alliance. That same month, he helped create an agreement. It allowed citizens of Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru to work and live in any of these four countries easily.

Lasso attending Pedro Castillo's inauguration as President of Peru in July 2021

In September 2021, Lasso announced an economic plan. He proposed a tax increase for the country's wealthiest citizens. This would affect about 3.5% of the working population. He also reached a $1.5 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund. He launched the Creation of Opportunities Act (CREO). This law aimed to lower VAT on some products. It also wanted to make hiring and working hours more flexible.

In September 2021, a large protest took place in Quito. Over 3,000 people protested against Lasso's government. When a prison riot killed over 118 inmates, Lasso declared a state of emergency.

Lasso with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez in November 2021

In October 2021, Lasso was mentioned in the Pandora Papers leak. This leak showed that Lasso had created "offshore" accounts. Lasso said he had legally closed any such accounts before the leak. He promised to cooperate with investigations. An investigation was started against him for possible tax fraud.

Also in October 2021, communities from Ecuador's Amazon region sued the government. They were concerned about plans to expand fossil fuel extraction. They said it threatened the rainforest and native peoples. On 19 October 2021, Lasso declared a state of national emergency. This was partly due to the prison riot. He said police and armed forces would be strong in the streets. This 60-day order aimed to fight corruption.

In December 2021, a move to remove Lasso from office failed. The National Assembly rejected the motion. A week later, Lasso created a commission. Its goal was to investigate and stop the rise in deadly prison riots.

2022

Lasso with U.S. President Joe Biden visiting the 9th Summit of the Americas in June 2022

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Lasso said Ecuador supported the United Nations and Organization of American States. He condemned the invasion. However, he said Ecuador would not stop diplomatic relations with Russia. That same month, Lasso visited Beijing. He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. They discussed a trade deal and debt talks.

In March 2022, Lasso said he was interested in running for re-election in 2025.

A series of protests began on 13 June 2022. These were against Lasso's economic policies. They were caused by rising fuel and food prices. Lasso faced criticism for suspending social media communication. He also allowed police to use force against protestors. Some members of the National Assembly tried to remove him from office. This process started on 28 June 2022 but did not get enough votes. Lasso refused to talk with Indigenous protest leaders. This also led to criticism.

2023

Lasso in October 2022

A constitutional referendum was held on 5 February 2023. Voters were asked to approve or reject eight changes to the 2008 Constitution. Lasso later admitted that all eight proposals failed.

In March 2023, Lasso said that fighting corruption in hospitals caused violence. He mentioned that hospital directors had been killed. In April 2023, he allowed civilians to carry weapons in public. This decision was made without parliamentary debate. Many groups, including the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), opposed it. They feared it could lead to violence.

In August 2023, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was killed in Quito. Lasso confirmed the assassination. He declared three days of national mourning. He also imposed a state of emergency for 60 days. This meant the military would support the police. Some civil liberties, like freedom of assembly, were suspended. Lasso confirmed the election would still happen on 20 August.

Impeachment Inquiry and Government Dissolution

Lasso with President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at his third inauguration in 2023

In March 2023, a process to remove Lasso from office began. He was accused of embezzlement. This happened after a website reported on a corruption system in public companies. It was linked to Danilo Carrera, Lasso's brother-in-law. Lasso was accused of knowing about it but not stopping it.

On 16 May 2023, the National Assembly officially began the impeachment process. Lasso said the process was politically motivated. However, the next day, Lasso dissolved the National Assembly. He used a constitutional power called muerte cruzada. This triggered new legislative and presidential elections. It was the first time an Ecuadorian president used this power to avoid impeachment.

On 19 May, Lasso said he would not run in the upcoming election. In the October election, Daniel Noboa was elected to replace Lasso.

Approval Ratings

Anti-Lasso graffiti in Latacunga during the 2022 Ecuadorian protests

Lasso started his presidency with a high approval rating of 71% in June 2021. By August 2021, it was around 73%. This was mainly due to his government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, his approval ratings dropped significantly later. In May 2022, his approval was 38.5%. By June 2022, it was 17%. In 2023, during calls for his impeachment, his approval rating was 13.93%.

Post-Presidency Activities

Before leaving office, Lasso wrote a book called "900 Days." It was about his time as president. After leaving office, he was invited to attend the inauguration of President-elect of Argentina Javier Milei in December 2023. He also attended the state funeral of former Chilean president Sebastián Piñera in February 2024.

In April 2024, Lasso said he would not run for president again in 2025. He supported the idea that his party, CREO, should have a presidential candidate.

Political Beliefs

Lasso in 2013

Lasso has said that "life has made [him] liberal." However, he does not like to be placed in any specific political group. He believes in "good ideas." He supports limiting government power and protecting basic rights. These include freedom of the press.

He also wants to lower taxes and reduce government debt. He aims to increase the minimum wage. His goal is to boost productivity and jobs in the private sector. He wants to remove at least nine taxes if he becomes president. Lasso has been accused of supporting a lower minimum wage. However, this was a statement taken out of context during the pandemic. He suggested letting businesses hire unemployed single mothers for some income.

Lasso holding a 2017 campaign event

Lasso admires the "Silent Revolution" of former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar. This was a series of reforms. For foreign trade, he wants more trade with Ecuador's main partners. These are the United States and the European Union. This would give national producers more chances to export.

Lasso at an election event before the first round of the 2017 election

Lasso was a member of Opus Dei. On topics like marriage between people of the same sex, he supports civil unions. But he believes they should be different from traditional marriage. For immigration, he wants controls for people with criminal records. But he wants to make it easier for tourists, investors, or people needing humanitarian help to enter. For environmental conservation, he says he will keep the Yasuní Amazon reserve free from oil exploitation.

He is also against the "21st-century socialism" promoted by Venezuela and Cuba. He links this to the "Citizens' Revolution" led by Rafael Correa. Lasso has called ALBA a "third world empire." President Correa and others have criticized Lasso. They say he represents old political forces. They also claim his tax proposals are irresponsible. President Rafael Correa also claims Lasso played a part in Ecuador's financial crisis of 1999.

In April 2022, Lasso visited Argentina. He supported Argentina's claim over the Falkland Islands. He said Ecuador would "always support Argentina in its claim."

Health Matters

In 2018, Lasso had surgery on his spinal cord in the United States. This was because of a back injury from a fall in Spain in 2013. After the operation, he needed to use a forearm crutch. In June 2021, Lasso had a second spinal cord surgery in Miami, Florida. This was to help him regain normal leg movement.

In June 2022, Lasso was diagnosed with COVID-19. In August 2022, he announced he would get treatment for melanoma near his eye in the United States. He had successful surgery and returned to Quito for more treatment.

In February 2023, Lasso fractured his leg after a fall. He had surgery and needed to use a wheelchair and walker.

Published Works

Lasso at a 2011 event for Letters to my Children

In 2011, Lasso published a book called Cartas a Mis Hijos. This means Letters to my Children. The book shares lessons he learned from his business career. It also gives ideas for Ecuador's economic growth. Lasso talks about the need for Ecuador to have more control over its own economy. The book suggests policies to create more economic opportunities for citizens.

After the book was released, former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar praised it. He said it had important ideas for development. Former Ecuadorian president Gustavo Noboa attended the book launch to show support. Lasso used the ideas from this book as a basis for his presidential campaigns.

In 2012, he published another book called Otro Ecuador Es Posible (Another Ecuador Is Possible).

Images for kids

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  Lasso with Argentine President Alberto Fernández in July 2021

Template:Cabinet of Guillermo Lasso

See also

In Spanish: Guillermo Lasso para niños