Jamil Mahuad

Jorge Jamil Mahuad Witt (born 29 July 1949) is an Ecuadorian lawyer, academic and former politician who served the 41st president of Ecuador from 1998 until he was deposed in a coup in 2000. He previously served as the 17th mayor of Quito from 1992 to 1998. Born in Loja of German and Lebanese descent, Mahuad grew up studying law. He studied in the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and earned a law degree from Harvard University. In 1988, Mahuad entered politics and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in the elections held that year. He then became the Metropolitan Mayor of Quito in 1992. In 1998, Mahuad ran again for the presidency in the elections and narrowly won against Álvaro Noboa, the richest man in the country at the time. However, Noboa refused to concede and demanded a recount, which was denied by the authorities responsible. Mahuad signed a historic agreement with Peru during his presidency, which solved long-standing border disputed between the two. At the same time however, there was a severe economic crisis in the country due to the Asian financial crisis the previous year. Mahuad decided to dollarize the country's economy which caused outrage across the country and eroded public support. The indigenous Ecudorians protested against Mahuad and he was eventually deposed in a coup d'état led by Lucio Gutiérrez and Mahuad's vice president, Gustavo Noboa, became president according to constitutional order.