The election of Guillermo Lasso shows Ecuador's desire for a more-moderate government
Ecuador’s oil sector buoyed by new president
Former businessman has ambitious plans for domestic crude production but faces significant financial, political and ESG constraints
Ecuadorian voters have roundly rejected the leftist successor of exiled former president Rafael Correa and instead elected the conservative ex-banker Guillermo Lasso. Running in his third electoral campaign, Lasso overcame a double-digit disadvantage in the first round to defeat rival Andres Arauz by a 5pc margin. The electoral shift was dramatic but not without explanation. In early February, Lasso took barely 20pc of the vote in the first round as charismatic indigenous candidate Yaku Perez narrowly dropped out of the race. By the second round, Lasso added 12 of the 13 provinces won by Perez, as the former banker toned down his free-market rhetoric and appealed to indigenous groups and bro
Also in this section
11 February 2026
Panellists from three LNG buyers at LNG2026 in Doha outlined their evolving procurement strategies as they navigate heightened market volatility
11 February 2026
North African producer plans to boost output by early 2030, with Europe its number one priority as export destination
11 February 2026
Maritime leaders at LNG2026 warned of the dangers of over-regulation on competitiveness, sustainability and innovation
10 February 2026
The country has opened bidding on 50 blocks in a new licensing round but will face competition for attention and will need to address concerns about security and legislation
