Ecuadorian president renews cabinet after defeat in local elections

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso speaks to the press after casting his vote during the local election at the Ileana Espinel Cedeño school in Guayaquil, Ecuador on Feb 5, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

QUITO – Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso on Thursday reshuffled his governing team and appointed four new provincial governors after the ruling party got poor results in the nationwide local elections.

"The decision to renew my team is meant to strengthen actions, plans and projects to continue building a better country for everyone," Lasso said at the presidential palace, describing the changes as "necessary adjustments."

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso also appointed new governors for the coastal provinces of Guayas, El Oro and Esmeraldas as well as for the central province of Cotopaxi

The reshuffle covered the General Secretariat of the Public Administration of the Presidency, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet, the Ministry of Government, the Secretariat for Management and Development of Peoples and Nationalities, and the Legal Secretariat to the President.

Lasso, who will complete his term in 2025, also appointed new governors for the coastal provinces of Guayas, El Oro and Esmeraldas as well as for the central province of Cotopaxi.

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The president also accepted the resignation of Aparicio Caicedo, who had served as a government advisor.

The changes were made after the government's bad results in Sunday's constitutional referendum and in provincial and cantonal elections.

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The referendum proposed by the president contained eight questions that implied changes in the Constitution on security, democracy, justice and environmental protection.

Two days after the elections, Lasso accepted the defeat, saying it was a call to attention to the government.