Sixto Durán Ballén
An architect-president who tried to modernize Ecuador's economy with tough austerity measures and a push for privatization.
1921–2016 (age 95)·President of Ecuador from 1992 to 1996·Birthday: July 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Sixto Durán Ballén approached the presidency with the precise mind of the architect he was trained to be. His path to power was long, serving as mayor of Quito and co-founding Ecuador's Social Christian Party before breaking away to form his own conservative Union Party. Elected in 1992, he inherited a country in economic distress and pursued a starkly neoliberal program. His administration focused on privatizing state industries, attracting foreign investment, and implementing fiscal discipline—policies that were often deeply unpopular but which he argued were necessary for modernization. His term was marked by significant infrastructure projects and a border war with Peru in 1995, which ended during his successor's term. Durán Ballén was a principled, somewhat austere figure whose vision for a structurally transformed Ecuador clashed with the immediate realities of public discontent, leaving a complex legacy of reform.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Sixto was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sixto Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Sixto's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2016Died at 95
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Served as the 37th President of Ecuador from 1992 to 1996, implementing a structural adjustment program to stabilize the economy.
- Oversaw the beginning of the Cenepa War with Peru in 1995, a conflict that led to a final peace treaty in 1998.
- Initiated major privatization efforts of state-owned telecommunications and electricity companies.
- Previously served as Mayor of Quito for two terms, from 1970 to 1978, focusing on urban planning.
Did You Know?
He held a master's degree in architecture from the University of Michigan in the United States.
Before entering politics full-time, he worked as an architect and a professor of urban planning.
He ran for president unsuccessfully twice (in 1979 and 1988) before winning on his third attempt in 1992.
He was a great-nephew of former Ecuadorian President Leónidas Plaza Gutiérrez.
“A country is built with plans, not speeches; we must lay the foundation stone.”
