Ecuador: Daniel Noboa Is Sworn In As President

On Thursday, Daniel Noboa was sworn in as the president of Ecuador, and Verónica Abad as the vice president, in an inauguration ceremony held at the National Assembly. The outgoing president, Guillermo Lasso, was bid farewell amidst disapproval shouts.

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Noboa, at 35 years old, is the youngest president in the history of this Andean country, currently facing an unprecedented crisis of insecurity, criminal violence, and a concerning economic situation.

He is the son of Alvaro Noboa, a banana magnate who attempted to become the president five times without success. Daniel will have a 18-month mandate so as to complete the 2021-2025 term that Lasso interrupted in May by dissolving the parliament through "cross death."

Using this constitutional tool, Lasso called for early elections, and in the second round, Noboa defeated the Revolution Citizen candidate Luisa Gonzalez.

Before his inauguration, Noboa announced that he would declare a state of emergency to expedite the legislative process for two tax bills and an electrical reform that he will present to the Parliament. These decrees will be signed this afternoon from Carontelet, the presidential palace located in downtown Quito.

It is expected that he will also announce the appointments of some of his ministers there, although Noboa stated that his cabinet will not be completed until at least Sunday.

His inauguration was attended by authorities from other countries, such as Colombian President Gustavo Petro and vice presidents Geraldo Alckmin (Brazil) and Renato Florentino Pineda (Honduras).

The event unfolded under a tight security setup around the National Assembly, which had been guarded by a large police and military contingent since early morning, including snipers stationed on the rooftops of the Legislative headquarters.