Palacio Sacks Economy Minister Jouvín

Ecuador’s president Alfredo Palacio, who will step down on January 15 to make way for president-elect Rafael Correa, has sacked economy minister José Jouvín. Labor minister José Serrano will take over the portfolio until the new government assumes power when the job will go to Ricardo Patiño. Jouvin was the fifth economy minister to serve under Palacio since he took office in 2005 in place of ousted president Lucio Gutierrez. Interestingly, Correa was Palacio’s first economy minister. Jouvín had only been in the job since October after he took over from Armando Rodas.