Constitution: 10 August 1979
Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate
persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN
Cordovez (since 10 August 1992); Vice President Eduardo PENA Trivino
(since 18 October 1995); president and vice president were elected
for four-year terms by universal suffrage; runoff election held 5
July 1992; results - Sixto DURAN-BALLEN elected as president (next
election was held 19 May 1996; no presidential candidate received
more than 50% of the vote; a runoff election between BUCARAM and
NEBOT will be held on 7 July 1996); note - former Vice President
DAHIK resigned 11 October 1995 and left the country to escape arrest
on corruption charges; National Congress chose PENA as his successor
in accordance with the constitution
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional): elections last held 19 May 1996; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (82 total) PSC 27, PRE 21, DP 10, Pachakutik Movement 7, ID 5, PLRE 3, MPD 2, APRE 2, CFP 1, independent and other 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges are elected
by the Chamber of Representatives
Political parties and leaders:
Center-Right parties: Republican Unity Party (PUR); Social Christian
Party (PSC), Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president; Ecuadorian Conservative
Party (PCE), President Sixto DURAN-BALLEN (two parties merged in
1995)
Center-Left parties: Democratic Left (ID), Andres VALLEJO Arcos,
Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos, leaders; Popular Democracy (DP), Rodrigo
PAZ, leader; Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party (PLRE), Medardo MORA,
leader; Radical Alfarista Front (FRA), Jaime ASPIAZU Seminario,
director
Populist parties: Roldosist Party (PRE), Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz,
director; Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP), Rodolfo BAQUERIZO
Nazur, leader; Popular Revolutionary Action (APRE), Frank VARGAS
Passos, leader
Far-Left parties: Popular Democratic Movement (MPD), Juan Jose
CASTELLO, leader; Ecuadorian Socialist Party (PSE), Leon ROLDOS,
leader; Broad Leftist Front (FADI), Rene Mauge MOSQUERA, chairman;
Ecuadorian National Liberation (LN), Alfredo CASTILLO, director
Communists: Communist Party of Ecuador (PCE, pro-North Korea), Rene
Mauge MOSQUERA, Secretary General; Communist Party of
Ecuador/Marxist-Leninist (PCMLE, Maoist)
International organization participation: AG, ECLAC, FAO, G-11,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edgar TERAN Teran
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Newark
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter F. ROMERO
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 562-890
FAX: [593] (2) 502-052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil