Alfredo Palacio

Luis Alfredo Palacio González (born January 22, 1939) is an Ecuadorian cardiologist and former politician who served as President of Ecuador from April 20, 2005 to January 15, 2007. From January 15, 2003 to April 20, 2005, he served as 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.

Not to be confused with Alfredo Palacios.
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Palacio and the second or maternal family name is González.
Alfredo Palacio
44th President of Ecuador
In office
April 20, 2005 – January 15, 2007
Vice PresidentAlejandro Serrano Aguilar (2005–2007)
Preceded byLucio Gutiérrez
Succeeded byRafael Correa
Vice President of Ecuador
In office
January 15, 2003 – April 20, 2005
PresidentLucio Gutiérrez
Preceded byPedro Pinto Rubianes
Succeeded byAlejandro Serrano
Minister of Health
In office
November 11, 1994 – August 10, 1996
PresidentSixto Durán-Ballén
Preceded byPatricio Abad
Succeeded byMarcelo Cruz
Personal details
Born
Luis Alfredo Palacio González

(1939-01-22) January 22, 1939
Guayaquil, Ecuador
NationalityEcuadorian
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)María Beatriz Paret
FatherAlfredo Palacio Moreno
Alma materCase Western Reserve University
Websitewww.dralfredopalacio.org
Medical career
ProfessionPhysician
FieldCardiologist
InstitutionsUniversity of Guayaquil
AwardsOrder of the Sun of Peru (Grand Cross)

Biography

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 Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States. He later lectured in cardiology and public health at the University of Guayaquil's faculty of medicine.

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 had previously served as the minister for health during the administration of Sixto Durán Ballén. Many of the ministers he chose were from the Democratic Left (Ecuador).

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".

Rafael Correa was elected president in November 2006 and replaced Palacio as president on January 15, 2007.

World Health Organization

Palacio was one of the candidates for the position of director-general of the World Health Organization, to be decided in a vote on November 9, 2006. However, on October 18, 2006, he announced he would not be pursuing the position, preferring to concentrate on his presidency until the very last day of his mandate.

See also
  • List of Case Western people
  • Cesar Palacio, his cousin and a Toronto City Councillor
  • Emilio Palacio, his brother and a persecuted journalist

References
  1. "Vicepresidentes en la historia" (PDF). www.vicepresidencia.gob.ec. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by
Pedro Pinto Rubianes		 Vice President of Ecuador
January 15, 2003–April 20, 2005		 Succeeded by
Alejandro Serrano Aguilar
Preceded by
Lucio Gutiérrez		 President of Ecuador
April 20, 2005–January 15, 2007		 Succeeded by
Rafael Correa
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