Daniel Novoa, the youngest president in Ecuador’s history, takes office
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Ecuador’s new president, billionaire business empire heir Daniel Novoa, 35, was sworn in Thursday as leader of a country embroiled in a bloody drug war.
“The task is difficult and difficult, and the days are few. Let’s get to work,” Noboa said after being sworn in at a ceremony attended by Colombian President Gustavo Petro and other foreign representatives.
Novoa, who was elected in October vowing to restore peace to his country, replaces Guillermo Lasso, who called for a snap election to avoid possible impeachment.
His term will last only 18 months, which is the remaining term of Mr. Russo.
Ecuador has long been a peaceful haven between major cocaine exporters Colombia and Peru, but violence has erupted in recent years as rival groups with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control.
Ecuador’s Organized Crime Monitoring Service reports that drug violence has resulted in approximately 3,600 murders so far this year.
The violence also marred the election, with popular presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio shot dead after a rally before the first round of voting.
“To fight violence, we must end unemployment. This country needs jobs, and that’s why we will implement urgent reforms,” Novoa said.
Santiago Kawaaski, a political scientist at SEK International University, said Novoa’s lack of political experience and support in parliament would result in a “structurally weak government.”
The government “must be extremely pragmatic and pragmatic about its capabilities and goals to avoid further frustration for the Ecuadorian people,” he added.
Novoa said he would impose a state of emergency to stop the drug war, suspending some citizens’ rights such as freedom of movement and deploying troops on the streets.
During his campaign, he said he wanted to create floating prisons on barges to isolate the most violent inmates.
A great wine funder and musician, Noboa was born in the port city of Guayaquil into the banana empire of his billionaire father Alvaro.
His father, who did not attend the ceremony, tried unsuccessfully to become president five times.
Novoa holds a degree in business administration from New York University and three master’s degrees from Harvard University, Northwestern University, and George Washington University.
He started his own events company at the age of 18 and later joined the Novoa family in the business.
Novoa’s new National Alliance for Democratic Action won only 17 of 137 seats in the October election.
On Friday, it allied with former President Rafael Correa’s left-wing movement and the right-wing Social Christian Party to secure a majority on key political appointments.
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Source: guardian.ng