Alfredo Palacio
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| 44th President of Ecuador | |
| In office 20 April 2005 – 15 January 2007 | |
| Vice President | Alejandro Serrano Aguilar |
| Preceded by | Lucio Gutiérrez |
| Succeeded by | Rafael Correa |
| Vice President of Ecuador | |
| In office 15 January 2003 – 20 April 2005 | |
| President | Lucio Gutiérrez |
| Preceded by | Pedro Pinto Rubianes |
| Succeeded by | Alejandro Serrano |
| Minister of Health | |
| In office 11 November 1994 – 10 August 1996 | |
| President | Sixto Durán-Ballén |
| Preceded by | Patricio Abad |
| Succeeded by | Marcelo Cruz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Luis Alfredo Palacio González (1939-01-22) 22 January 1939 (age 85) Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Political party | Independent |
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Spouse | María Beatriz Paret |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | Case Western Reserve University |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician |
| Field | Cardiology |
| Institutions | University of Guayaquil |
| Awards | Order of the Sun of Peru (Grand Cross) |
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Luis Alfredo Palacio González (born 22 January 1939) is an Ecuadorian cardiologist and former politician who was President of Ecuador from 20 April 2005 to 15 January 2007. From 15 January 2003 to 20 April 2005, he was vice president,[1] after which he was appointed to the presidency when the Ecuadorian Congress removed President Lucio Gutiérrez from power following a week of growing unrest with his government.
Born in Guayaquil, Palacio is a physician by profession, specializing in cardiology. He studied in his home town and, later, at Cleveland, Ohio, doing residency at Case Western Reserve University, followed by a two-year cardiology fellowship at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of MedicineinSt. Louis, Missouri. He later lectured in cardiology and public health at the University of Guayaquil's faculty of medicine.[citation needed]
Palacio was chosen as Lucio Gutiérrez's running mate in the 2002 election. It was a common sight during the campaign to see Gutiérrez, dressed in his army fatigues, accompanied by Palacio, wearing surgical scrubs. Palacio previously was the minister for health during the administration of Sixto Durán Ballén. Many of the ministers he chose were from Ecuador's left.[citation needed]
One of Palacio's first proposals made as president was to hold a Constitutional Assembly to amend Ecuador's 1998 Constitution. For a period of several months prior to assuming office, he had been a critic of the Gutiérrez regime, saying that the country was "falling apart" and in need of "intensive care".[citation needed]
Rafael Correa was elected president in November 2006 and replaced Palacio as president on 15 January 2007.
Palacio was one of the candidates for the position of director-general of the World Health Organization, to be decided in a vote on 9 November 2006. However, on 18 October 2006, he announced he would not be pursuing the position, preferring to concentrate on his presidency until the last day of his mandate.[2]
Palacio began his presidency with an approval rating of 53%. Palacio left office with a 29% approval rating, according to a CEDATOS survey.[3]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Vice President of Ecuador 15 January 2003–April 20, 2005 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of Ecuador 20 April 2005–January 15, 2007 |
Succeeded by |
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