During his presidency he sought to introduce market-oriented reforms, and also led a security crackdown on a guerrilla group named ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!.

[3] Upon his return to Guayaquil, Febres-Cordero worked in the private sector, mainly in industry, including paper, electrical parts, chemicals and textiles.

[4] Febres-Cordero, a close ally of US President Ronald Reagan, was sharply criticized for an increase in human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial executions.

[5] Decades later, Rafael Correa established the so-called Truth Commission to investigate human rights violations, particularly those that occurred during Febres Cordero's administration.

[citation needed] In January 1987 Febres-Cordero was kidnapped for 11 hours[6] by a group of Air Force members who were demanding freedom for General Frank Vargas Pazzos, who had been imprisoned after leading two uprisings in March 1986, aimed to topple the Secretary of Defense.

[8][9] That same year, and in what was his last public appearance, he criticized the conformation of a Truth Commission by the new left-wing government of Rafael Correa, who in his 2006 presidential campaign promised to "halt the impunity" of the Febres-Cordero regime.