Ecuador’s president declines to run in snap elections after he disbands National Assembly

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s president Guillermo Lasso says he will not run for presidential reelection in the early elections that were called after his decision to dissolve the National Assembly two weeks ago. Surrounded by his entire cabinet and members of his family, Lasso said he had long reflected about the decision and concluded it was best not to run. Lasso, a former banker, was elected in 2021 and clashed from the start with a strong opposition in the 137-member National Assembly, which he disbanded in mid May. Lawmakers had accused him of not having intervened to end a contract between the state-owned oil transport company and a private tanker company.