Ana Lucía Armijos
Ana Lucía Armijos Hidalgo | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 13, 1947 Quito, Ecuador |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, politician |
| Known for | First female Minister of the Interior of Ecuador; President of the Central Bank of Ecuador; Minister of Economy and Finance; Ambassador to Spain |
Ana Lucía Armijos Hidalgo (born October 13, 1947) is an Ecuadorian economist and political figure, recognized as Ecuador's first female to serve as Minister of the Interior.
Education and professional background
Hailing from Quito, Armijos is the daughter of Rafael Armijos, a former Colonel and conservative politician. She completed her secondary education at Spellman High School, where she excelled academically. She obtained a degree in economics from the Catholic University of Ecuador, followed by a Master's degree in economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Further graduate studies in economic theory and development were pursued at the University of Mississippi. Armijos has held a professorship at the Catholic University of Ecuador and occupied several analytical and leadership positions within the Central Bank of Ecuador. Her career also includes experience as a macroeconomist with the World Bank’s West African operations.
During Sixto Durán Ballén’s administration
On August 25, 1992, President Sixto Durán Ballén appointed Armijos as President of the Central Bank of Ecuador. Tensions arose between her and Roberto Baquerizo, then head of the Ecuadorian Monetary Board, generating instability until Baquerizo resigned and Armijos assumed that presidency on July 15, 1993.
Armijos publicly supported Alberto Dahik during his impeachment trial on embezzlement charges, which sparked significant debate. At one point, she was also considered a candidate for the Vice Presidency.
An arrest warrant was issued against her on May 30, 1997, connected to a $200 million bailout approved for Banco Continental while she led the Monetary Board. She evaded authorities for about a year until being exonerated by a new Chief Justice in May 1998.
Under Jamil Mahuad’s presidency
In August 1998, Armijos was named Minister of the Interior by President Jamil Mahuad, becoming the first woman to occupy this position in Ecuador. Among her initiatives was the proposal to create a national council comprising governors.
On February 15, 1999, she transitioned to the role of Minister of Economy and Finance, succeeding Fidel Jaramillo who resigned over opposition to the Capital Movement Tax ("1% Tax"). Amidst the 1998–99 Ecuador financial crisis, she and President Mahuad declared a bank holiday on March 11, freezing all bank deposits. This move fractured the alliance between the ruling Democracia Popular party and the opposition Social Christian Party, leading to calls for her impeachment. Víctor Hugo Sicouret initiated legal action against her over the bank holiday decision, while Jaime Nebot pushed Congress to impose sanctions.
By August, after securing backing from the International Monetary Fund for managing Ecuador’s external debt, Armijos stepped down from her ministerial post. Subsequently, she was appointed as Ecuador’s Ambassador to Spain, with Alfredo Arízaga taking over as Finance Minister.
Subsequent years and legal challenges
In July 2000, Víctor Granda and Napoleón Gómez Real accused Ana Lucía Armijos along with former president Jamil Mahuad of violating constitutional provisions. The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants prompting Armijos to seek refuge in the United States where she received political asylum.
Charges against both were dismissed by the Supreme Court’s second chamber in June 2006 due to lack of evidence. Nonetheless, in December 2012, legal proceedings were reopened with renewed efforts by the Ecuadorian government to pursue the case.