Jamil Mahuad
Encyclopedia
Jorge Jamil Mahuad Witt (born July 29, 1949) is an Ecuadorian lawyer and politician and the 51st President of Ecuador
from August 10, 1998 to January 21, 2000. There was a severe economic crisis in Ecuador (including the 1998–99 Ecuador banking crisis), which had led to a 60% cut in the armed forces budget. There were also concerns about corruption.Mahuad's popularity rating had fallen from 60% in October 1998 to 6% in January 2000. In the final days of 1999, Mahuad announced the dollarization
of the economy of Ecuador
, along with a number of International Monetary Fund
measures.
He was forced to resign after a week of demonstrations by indigenous Ecuadorians and a military revolt
led by Lucio Gutiérrez
. He is of Arab
and German
descent. . Before his election as president, he served as Mayor of Quito
from 1992 to 1998.
He proposed economic reforms that produced the "dollarization
" of the economy. He declared a freeze in bank accounts in order to control rampant inflation.
Mahuad attended Harvard University
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
, and received a Master of Public Administration
. He lectures in ethics and politics at several universities. Mahuad is a Fellow
at the Center for Public Leadership
at the Kennedy School of Government.
During his presidency, a historical peace agreement with Peru
was signed, resolving long-standing border disputes. Under the agreement, Ecuador renounced its claims to sovereignty of the disputed territory under the Rio de Janeiro Protocol
; Peru deeded ownership of one km² of territory to Ecuador.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
from August 10, 1998 to January 21, 2000. There was a severe economic crisis in Ecuador (including the 1998–99 Ecuador banking crisis), which had led to a 60% cut in the armed forces budget. There were also concerns about corruption.Mahuad's popularity rating had fallen from 60% in October 1998 to 6% in January 2000. In the final days of 1999, Mahuad announced the dollarization
Dollarization
Dollarization occurs when the inhabitants of a country use foreign currency in parallel to or instead of the domestic currency. The term is not only applied to usage of the United States dollar, but generally to the use of any foreign currency as the national currency.The biggest economies to have...
of the economy of Ecuador
Economy of Ecuador
The economy of Ecuador is based mostly on exports of bananas, oil, shrimp, gold, other primary agricultural products and money transfers from nearly a million Ecuadorian emigrants employed abroad. In 2002, oil accounted for about one-third of public sector revenue and 40% of export earnings...
, along with a number of International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
measures.
He was forced to resign after a week of demonstrations by indigenous Ecuadorians and a military revolt
2000 Ecuadorean coup d'état
The 2000 Ecuadorean coup d'état took place on 21 January 2000 and resulted in President Jamil Mahuad being sent into exile, and replaced by Vice President Gustavo Noboa...
led by Lucio Gutiérrez
Lucio Gutiérrez
Lucio Edwin Gutiérrez Borbúa served as President of Ecuador from January 15, 2003 to April 20, 2005.- Political rise :Gutiérrez was prominent in a popular uprising that replaced President Jamil Mahuad for three hours in January 2000...
. He is of Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
descent. . Before his election as president, he served as Mayor of Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
from 1992 to 1998.
He proposed economic reforms that produced the "dollarization
Dollarization
Dollarization occurs when the inhabitants of a country use foreign currency in parallel to or instead of the domestic currency. The term is not only applied to usage of the United States dollar, but generally to the use of any foreign currency as the national currency.The biggest economies to have...
" of the economy. He declared a freeze in bank accounts in order to control rampant inflation.
Mahuad attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
, and received a Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
. He lectures in ethics and politics at several universities. Mahuad is a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
at the Center for Public Leadership
Center for Public Leadership
The Center for Public Leadership is an American learning institution that provides teaching, research and training in the practical skills of leadership for people in government, nonprofits, and business. It was established in 2000, through a gift from the Wexner Foundation, at Harvard Kennedy...
at the Kennedy School of Government.
During his presidency, a historical peace agreement with Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
was signed, resolving long-standing border disputes. Under the agreement, Ecuador renounced its claims to sovereignty of the disputed territory under the Rio de Janeiro Protocol
Rio Protocol
The Protocol of Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries between Peru and Ecuador, or Rio Protocol for short, was an international agreement signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 29, 1942, by the foreign ministers of Peru and Ecuador, with the participation of the United States, Brazil, Chile, and...
; Peru deeded ownership of one km² of territory to Ecuador.