Abdalá Bucaram

On 9 March 2022, the United States announced that it was designating Bucaram "due to his involvement in significant corruption, including misappropriation of public funds, accepting bribes, and interfering with public processes."

On 4 June 2020, Attorney General Diana Salazar Méndez announced that a hoard of 5,000 masks and 2,000 COVID-19 tests had been found at Bucaram's residence.

On 12 August 2020, Bucaram was arrested at his home in Guayaquil, in relation to the murder of an Israeli citizen, Tomer Sheinman (also known as Shy Dahan), a few days earlier in the Guayaquil jail, as there was an audio of a conversation between Bucaram and the murdered Sheinman (Dahan), who was involved in trading medical supplies with Bucaram's son, Jacobo.

On 1 December 2014, his son Abdalá "Dalo" Bucarám Jr. renounced his seat in the Ecuadorian National Assembly.

Bucaram received political asylum in Panama after several corruption charges were laid against him. He returned on Saturday, 2 April 2005, after the corruption charges were lifted the previous day. He stayed in Guayaquil for about two and a half weeks. The corruption charges against him were reinstated after Lucio Gutiérrez was forced to leave to avoid the charges.

Bucaram was president from 10 August 1996, to 6 February 1997. His cabinet was put together by Vice President Rosalia Arteaga. Within months, Bucaram was accused of embezzling millions of dollars of public funds.

By 1996 the state had already been dismantled by several years of privatizations; there was no way to control corruption, also, there was no desire of Bucaram's officers to help in this matter. "The Tequila effect" severely affected the Ecuadorean economy; however, no economic measures were taken due to the scandals in which the former President Duran-Ballen's family (Flores y Miel) and his Vice-president Dahik (embezzlement of public funds) were involved. In addition, Duran-Ballén's Cenepa War against Peru exhausted the already disassembled state.

He was the Mayor of Guayaquil, and the founder and member of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (PRE). He then competed for the presidency of the Republic in 1988 and 1992 before succeeding in the 1996 run.

After he took office, Bucaram tried to reorganize the state, which included trying to regularize the privatization process initiated by Osvaldo Hurtado (1980, Popular Democracy Party), and supported by the next three presidents: León Febres Cordero (1984, PSC), Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (1988, Democratic Left) and Sixto Durán Ballén (1992, ex-PSC). Political opponents took advantage of Bucaram's perceived trust and loyalty in the selection of his cabinet. Many of Bucaram's ministers and senior officials were influenced by the people who were in control of the state since 1980, and made terrible mistakes.

Abdalá Jaime Bucaram Ortiz (/ɑːbdəˈlɑː bʊkəˈrɑːm/ (listen) ahb-də-LAH buu-kə-RAHM; Arabic: عبد الله بوكرم; born 20 February 1952) is an Ecuadorian politician and lawyer who was President of Ecuador from 10 August 1996, to 6 February 1997. As President, Abdalá Bucaram was nicknamed "El Loco Que Ama" ("The Madman Who Loves", a nickname he himself championed) and was removed from office after being declared mentally unfit to rule by the National Congress of Ecuador on 12 February 1997. Bucaram claims innocence now that all cases against him have been dismissed. He lived in exile in Panama under Political Asylum laws, then returned to Ecuador in 2017 when the charges against him expired.

Born in Guayaquil, Bucaram is the son of Jacobo Bucaram Elmhalin (1920-1967), the son of Lebanese immigrants, and Rina Ortiz Caicedo (1926-1982). He grew up playing football in the streets of Guayaquil and later went on to become a successful athlete and earn a degree in physical education. He was also a hurdler. He was the flag bearer for Ecuador at the 1972 Summer Olympics but did not compete in the Games due to injury. He was the police chief of Guayas and the president of Barcelona Sporting Club, a football team from his hometown. While being a gym teacher, he earned a degree in law and soon began his political career. He used to live in Kennedy Norte, a neighborhood next to the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, before he left to Panama after the deposition of his government.