Ecuador's Vice President, María José Pinto, officially took office on Monday, May 26, 2025, and reopened the doors of the vice-presidential headquarters in downtown Quito. The institution had remained closed for several months due to the legal dispute between Verónica Abad and President Daniel Noboa.
Pinto was received with honors by the Granaderos de Tarqui and staff from the office, who offered her a guard of honor and applause. In her speech, she declared herself "optimistic and happy" to begin this new stage, and emphasized that her administration will be close to the citizens: "This work we're going to do is work in the field", she stated.
By order of President Noboa, the new vice president will lead the coordination of comprehensive public policies in strategic social areas. These include mental health, intercultural bilingual education, prevention of teenage pregnancy, early childhood care, and the fight against chronic child malnutrition.
María José Pinto
These responsibilities were assigned through Executive Decree No. 3, signed by the president on May 24, in accordance with the constitutional mandate that grants the vice president functions delegated by the president. Pinto had already been serving as technical secretary against child malnutrition, which strengthens her profile for this new stage.
María José Pinto, 39 years old, comes from a family with experience in the Ecuadorian textile industry. She is the granddaughter of businessman Germánico Pinto and the daughter of Mauricio Pinto, former Minister of Industries and Economy in Sixto Durán Ballén's government, and current leader of one of the country's largest textile companies.
María José Pinto's arrival at the Vice Presidency represents a new boost to Daniel Noboa's government's social agenda. Her technical background and focus on structural problems such as malnutrition and mental health reinforce the Executive's commitment to the country's most vulnerable sectors.
