Ecuador: Estabilidad institucional y la consolidación de poder de Rafael Correa

Abstract

After six years in power, 2012 marked the pinnacle of the accumulation of political power for Rafael Correa. In addition to an assertive foreign policy and dominance over the legislative branch, the president was able to exercise widespread control over the judicial branch and the media. Under Correa's leadership, Ecuador has benefitted from an increase in social spending, achieving a reduction in poverty and unemployment. Yet these policies have created a large fiscal deficit that the country is financing through commercial agreements with China. This and other events, such as protests in the oil-producing Oriente, presage possible limits on the sustainability of current policies. However, the short-term is bright for Correa, thanks to his economic achievements, the weakness of a credible opposition, and his control of state institutions. The success of the "Citizen's Revolution" manifested itself in the 2013 elections, which resulted in the re-election of the president as well as a legislative supermajority.