El Loco Que Ama: The Strange Tales of This Lebanese-Ecuadorian President

Lebanon is a month into a renewed presidential vacuum, with no good candidates appearing to be in the running. Some would even say there has never been a good candidate in the history of the country. Maybe we should look abroad for presidential solutions, had you ever wondered how the prolific Lebanese diaspora has taken to power.

Well, wonder no more because today we bring you an account of one of the most fascinating Lebanese presidents in history.

Born in 1952, Abdala Bucaram is a third generation Lebanese-Ecuadorian. He was President of Ecuador for 6-months, reigning from August 1996 to February 1997. His time as president was cut short after he was found to be “mentally unfit” for the position and removed from office by the Ecuadorian congress. That is only the start of the story of “El Loco Que Ama”, or the Madman Who Loves.



To fully understand the story of Bucuram, we must look at his uncle, Assad Bucaram. The older Bucuram was the son of Abdala Bucuram, our president’s grandfather and namesake. In 1961, he took power of the Concentration of People’s Forces (CFP) party. His party opposed—and was opposed—by the existing José María Velasco Ibarra regime and the subsequent military junta that took over. This led to repeated bouts of exile and political persecution.

Assad Bucaram planned to run for the presidency of Ecuador in the election 1978-1979, but was thwarted by the military government of the time, who cited his Lebanese origins in their justification for disallowing him. Bucaram then threw his support behind his nephew-in-law, Jaime Roldós Aguilera, who was married to Abdala Bucaram’s sister, Martha Bucaram. Aguilera would be elected president with Bucaram’s support, and Bucaram would himself be simultaneously elected President of the Ecuadorian National Assembly.

On May 24, 1981, while he was on his way to a military ceremony to honor victims of Ecuador’s war against Peru, Roldos’ plane crashed into a mountain, killing him and the first lady. Conspiracies regarding the cause of the crash and the military’s potential involvement have circulated since then. Despite multiple inquiries into the matter, the cause of the crash is still debated. Assad Bucaram would die later that year of natural causes.



This is where we return to Abdala Bucaram. He was the founder of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (ERP), named after the late president. Initially, he was police chief of his local region and president of the local Barcelona Sporting Club. His first political position was Mayor of Guayaquil. He would run for president in 1988 and 1992, before finally succeeding in 1996.

A few months into his term, Bucaram was accused of embezzling millions in public funds. As a result of the economic instability and privatization that had occurred prior to his ascension, Bucaram was left with a tough job, and his reforms displeased the country’s lower classes. A protest movement erupted against the president, one that would last till his impeachment.

After his impeachment, corruption charges were brought up against Bucaram, prompting him to flee to Panama. He returned in 2005 but left 2 weeks later after the corruption charges were reinstated. He managed to return a short while later.



In June of 2020, the Attorney General of Ecuador led a probe into Abdala Bucaram’s COVID-19 habits, finding that the former president had hoarded 5,000 masks and 2,000 COVID tests at his home.

Later that year in August, Bucaram was arrested for his involvement in the murder of Tomer Sheinman, an Israeli citizen. Sheinman had been killed in a jail in Bucaram’s native Guayaquil and was said to be involved in illicit trading with Bucaram’s son, Jacobo.

In 2022, the government of the United States designated sanctions on Bucaram, “due to his involvement in significant corruption, including misappropriation of public funds, accepting bribes, and interfering with public processes”.



Still think Lebanon’s presidential situation can’t get worse? You’re right, maybe we should give Bucaram a shot at the vacant Lebanese presidency. Join me in urging all MPs to #VoteBucaram in the next presidential election session.