Lasso CREO centre-right banker-technocrat (Ecuador)

Doctrine — stated goals and content

Centre-right banker-technocrat market-orthodox program inside a structurally hostile National Assembly. Lasso (Creando Oportunidades, former Banco Guayaquil chairman) won the Apr 2021 runoff with 52.52% against Andrés Arauz. Doctrine centred on (a) Ley Orgánica de Desarrollo Económico (Nov 2021) — one-off wealth and corporate surcharges to close the fiscal gap while cutting investment-tax frictions; (b) Ley de Inversiones and free-trade pursuit (FTA signed with China May 2023, Costa Rica, Korea process); (c) completion of the Moreno-era IMF EFF (final review Dec 2022); (d) attempts at labour flexibilisation and SOE modernisation that were blocked by the Assembly or by the October 2021 referendum failing to be called, and by the Feb 2023 consulta popular losing on all eight questions. Facing impeachment over the "Caso Encuentro" allegations, Lasso invoked muerte cruzada on 17 May 2023 — the first use of Article 148 of the 2008 Constitution — dissolving the Assembly and governing by decree-law (11 decretos-ley económicos urgentes, mostly tax-simplification and investment) until the Aug 2023 early election. Did not stand for re-election. Popularity eroded from ~70% on taking office to sub-20% by mid-2023. Coherent as a compressed market-liberal package operationalised mainly through executive decree after legislative paralysis.