Assad Bucaram

Assad Bucaram Elmhalin (24 December 1916 – 5 November 1981)[1] was an Ecuadorian politician who occupied positions as city Councilor and later of Mayor of Guayaquil (1962–1963, 1967–1970).

[3] He threw his weight behind the Democratic Left Front for the 1968 elections, although this put him at odds with the José María Velasco Ibarra regime and from 1970 to 1972 he was exiled to Panama.

[3] Bucaram had intended to run for the presidency in the election of 1978-9 but was banned by the military government, ostensibly for his parents' nationality.

The candidacy instead went to his niece's husband Jaime Roldós Aguilera and, with Bucaram's active support, the CFP carried the election after more than 18 years of de facto regimes.

[3] As a deputy and leader of the Congress however Bucaram became estranged from Roldós as he did not support the President's moves towards social democracy.