Ecuador: In a hurry to mend the past

After a decade marred by corruption and legal disputes, Ecuador’s reformist government wants a more investment-friendly exploration regime

The new order started in August with the completion of the merger of the mining and energy ministries into the hydrocarbons ministry, following years of scandal and wholesale sackings. Over the next few months the revamped ministry will start handing out licences under new profit-sharing contracts. The merger was forced by the minority, left-wing government of president Lenín Moreno who seems intent on cleaning out endemic corruption in state-owned oil and gas companies and encouraging stable leadership. In July, for example, PetroEcuador gained its ninth chief executive in 41 months with the appointment of Marcelo Proaño in place of Carlos Tejada who resigned "for personal reasons" after le