Coming off a victory in the first round of the presidential elections in Ecuador earlier this month, Andrés Arauz, progressive economist of the UNES party and YSI member, joins us to discuss the challenges facing Ecuador and the tremendous responsiblities he may face as head of state if he assumes office. The immediate issue facing the country is the handling of the pandemic and its socio-economic consequences. Furthermore, difficult negotiations with the IMF and international creditors await. The larger questions looming for Ecuador are how to advance the country’s economic development agenda and achieve social justice in the context of a dollarized economy and a difficult geopolitical climate.
In order to understand what has shaped his perspective on these challenges we will explore André’s academic background in Post-Keynesian and Structuralist economics as well as his experience in working in Ecuador’s central bank and as part of Correa’s previous cabinet.
Tomorrow Presidential candidate Andrés Arauz joins YSI for a conversation about the challenges facing Ecuador.