[2][3] Amidst a severe economic crisis, the coup coalition sought to emulate the populist democracy and economy of Hugo Chávez's Venezuela.

[1] In the early days of 2000, Mahuad announced the dollarization of the economy of Ecuador, along with a number of International Monetary Fund measures.

[5][6] In response to the economic plans "Indigenous crowds flocked to Quito demanding Mahuad's dismissal and occupying Congress and the Supreme Court.

[4] During the coup, there was little mobilisation against it, and a survey showed widespread popular support for CONAIE's occupation of Congress, which had allowed the military to call for Mahuad's resignation.

[10] This recently turbulent period of Ecuadorian history ended with the 2006 election of Rafael Correa, an academic outsider who opposed and condemned the practices of traditional parties, political and economical elites, while moving a leftist, anti-neoliberal and populist agenda which since 2007 has seen an increase in public spending, a new Constitution, social programs and an anti-imperialist foreign policy aligned with the socialism of the 21st century, despite accusations of curtailing freedoms, particularly speech and press.