Guillermo Lasso Searches for a Breakthrough
By
Sebastián Hurtado
Ecuador’s president hopes to escape political impasse with a referendum and by pushing forward free trade.
QUITO — With his approval rate down below 20% and his pro-growth agenda largely stalled in the face of a hostile Congress and an ongoing security crisis, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso is looking for ways to regain the initiative. One is putting issues directly to the people—something Lasso is planning to do with an eight-question referendum, which is set for February 5. Another avenue is trade policy, with accession to the Pacific Alliance, a free-trade bloc founded in 2011 by Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile, being the most immediate opportunity for...
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