Ecuador

The Ecuadorian State is made up of five branches of government: the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, the Electoral Branch, and the Transparency and Social Control.

Ecuador is governed by an elected democratic President, for a four-year term. Ecuador's current president, Lenin Moreno, is exercising his power from the presidential Palacio de Carondelet in Quito. The current constitution was drafted by the Ecuadorian Constituent Assembly elected in 2007, and approved by a referendum in 2008. Since 1936, voting has been mandatory for all literate people aged 18-65, optional for all other citizens.

The executive branch is made up of 23 ministers. Provincial governors and councilors (mayors, aldermen, and parish boards) are directly elected. The National Assembly of Ecuador meets throughout the year except for the breaks in July and December. There are thirteen permanent committees. Members of the National Court of Justice are appointed by the National Judicial Council for a nine-year term.

The people and culture of Ecuador are all for modernity, but have a very specific way of interacting as a society — despite their notoriously relaxed attitude. You’ll probably notice a striking difference in gender roles while traveling in Ecuador. Women often spend their entire lives in the domestic sphere. As in much of Latin America, machismo is ingrained into the Ecuadorian male identity. Given the economic troubles Ecuador faces, there are many other social ills that Ecuadorians are prioritizing over feminist progress in the workplace.

The culture of machismo, mixed with Catholic morals, also affects the quality of life for the country’s homosexual population. Many Ecuadorians view homosexuality as a problem that can be fixed or cured. Homosexual acts are still largely considered criminal, and it is unusual to find overtly gay or lesbian culture in Ecuador.

Most of Ecuador's population is Mestizo, people with a mixture of Spanish ancestry and indigenous people who share a Hispanic culture influenced by Roman Catholicism and Amerindian traditions. Ecuadorians are a religious, family-oriented group with traditional gender roles, enjoying music, dancing, food, and sport (especially soccer and horseback riding). The country has produced many acclaimed artists and writers around the world for hundreds of centuries.

One of the most important facets of Ecuadorian culture is the food. At the crux of the nation’s cuisine are fruit and vegetables, as well as many types of fish and seafood. However, perhaps the most notable feature of Ecuadorian food is the widespread use of the sauce known as “aji”. Normally seen accompanying rice and chicken dishes, this hot sauce can be witnessed in many different variations and is a firm, spicy favorite among locals.

The Galápagos Islands

Since their "discovery" in the 16th century, the Galápagos Islands have intrigued and inspired visitors from around the globe. Named for the giant tortoises on the islands, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to a unique ecosystem that largely evolved without outside influences (mainland Ecuador lies some 1,000 kilometers to the east) and offers an exceptional opportunity for wildlife viewing.

The Galápagos Islands remain one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, and the formation of the islands is still in progress. Most of the 13 large islands, six smaller islands, and 42 islets that make up the Galápagos were declared part of the Galápagos National Park in the 1950s, and visiting this fragile ecosystem can only be undertaken as part of a guided tour to designated visitor sites (there are, however, one or two areas visitors can go without a guide, including some areas popular with scuba divers).