Gabriela Rivadeneira

Gabriela Alejandra Rivadeneira Burbano (born 25 July 1983) is an Ecuadorian politician. She is currently serving as the President of the National Assembly of Ecuador. Previously she had been Governor of Imbabura Province.

Rivadeneira was born in Quito as the first of four children. At age five she moved to Otavalo. In 2000, when she was seventeen, she received the beauty pageant title of Reina del Yamor (English: Queen of Yamor). The popularity and local fame she gained with this achievement enabled her to be successful in local politics.

Rivadeneira went to the Colegio Santa Juana de Chantal. During her stay there she became president of the advice board and leader of the student board.

Rivadeneira founded the cultural organisation Mirarte in 1998, while she was fourteen years old. For her, it was a relief valve against the Ecuadorian government during those years. The organisation later produced the first children's film in Ecuador, Sara la Espantapájaros. Rivadeneira had a role in the movie. Rivadeneira has said that in her youth she sprayed graffiti for ideological goals as a protest against foreign debt, free-trade treaties and the presence of the U.S. Manta Air Base at Eloy Alfaro International Airport.

Gabriela Rivadeneira in 2013.

Rivadeneira started her political career as councilwoman for the municipality of Otavalo; she served in this capacity between 2004 and 2008. During that time she won the elections in 2004 and 2008. From 2004 till 2006 she was a member of the Pachakutik party. But in 2006 she left and became a member of a group that would later join forces with the PAIS Alliance. She was vice mayor of the city of Otavalo between 2006 and 2008. Between 2009 and 2011 she served as vice prefect of Imbabura Province. She also was a member of the national directory of PAIS Alliance between 2010 and 2012.
On 28 July 2011 Rivadeneira took up the function of governor of Imbabura Province after Governor Pedro Dávila laid down his function. To take up this position Rivadeneira was forced to lay down her function of Vice Prefect in the same province. As Rivadeneira became governor at age 28 she became not only the first female governor of Imbabura Province, but also the youngest. Rivadeneira was chosen for this position by President Rafael Correa. On 9 November 2012 Rivadeneira resigned as governor, so she could run in the 2013 general election. Rivadeneira led the PAIS Alliance in the elections for the National Assembly while more senior politicians were placed behind her on the national list. Examples of these were the then President of the National Assembly Fernando Cordero Cueva, the then Vice President of the National Assembly Juan Carlos Cassinelli and Rosana Alvarado. She personally received 3,498,379 votes. On 14 May 2013 Rivadeneira was chosen as President of the National Assembly after receiving 107 of 137 votes in her favor.

After being chosen as President of the National Assembly she was mentioned as a potential successor for President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa. Correa announced that he will not seek another term in next elections which are scheduled for 2017. Earlier, Correa had mentioned Rivadeneira as a possible successor while he was on a visit to Imbabura Province. Rivadeneira will, however, probably not be eligible as she will not have reached the minimum age of 35 for the office of president.

She went to the funeral of Hugo Chávez as part of the Ecuadorian delegation.

Rivadeneira's role as president of Ecuador's National Assembly, however, has sparked criticism. On 3 October 2013 Rivadeneira spoke in the Ecuadorian National Assembly and quoted the music group Quilapayún by saying "... we have to flip the tortilla so that the poor eat bread, and the rich eat shit". Her action was criticized by opposition MPs. Other examples include the warrant against legislator Cléver Jiménez, and the acquisition of a house for 250,000 U.S. dollars.

Rivadeneira is married to writer Luis Flores and has two children. Rivadeneira has said that she is a frequent reader of Eduardo Galeano's work.