Creating Opportunities (Spanish: Creando Oportunidades), commonly known by the acronym CREO — which also reads as the Spanish word for "I believe" — is a political movement in Ecuador established in January 2012. Formed in the context of a polarized national politics, CREO positioned itself as a market-friendly, center-right alternative to the dominant leftist currents of the time, emphasizing private-sector growth, job creation and institutional change.
Origins and name
CREO began as a movement rather than a traditional party, gathering supporters from business, professional and urban middle-class sectors who sought a new political vehicle. The choice of name reflects both a programmatic focus on opportunity and a rhetorical appeal to voters: the acronym CREO is a deliberate double-meaning designed to suggest confidence and renewal.
Ideology and platform
While not uniformly doctrinaire, CREO has typically advocated policies associated with the center-right. Its public platform has emphasized:
- Economic growth and entrepreneurship: incentives for private investment, small business support and measures aimed at stimulating employment.
- Fiscal restraint and market orientation: lowering barriers to commerce and encouraging public–private cooperation.
- Institutional reform and anti-corruption: strengthening transparency and the rule of law as a counter to clientelist practices.
- Social policy: a focus on improving education and basic services often through partnerships with nonstate actors.
These positions placed CREO in opposition to the more interventionist economic model favored by the governing movement at the time of CREO’s founding.
Electoral history and influence
CREO entered national politics quickly and fielded business leader Guillermo Lasso as its presidential candidate in the 2013 election. That campaign established CREO as a recognizable force in Ecuadorian politics and attracted voters dissatisfied with the status quo. In subsequent years the movement continued to compete in presidential and legislative contests, remaining a vehicle for center-right voters and engaging in alliances with other opposition groups.
As a movement, CREO has combined electoral activity with public advocacy, using campaigns to promote policy proposals and to shape debate on economic management and governance.
Organization and notable facts
CREO’s structure has varied over time, moving between loose movement-style organization and more formal party arrangements to meet electoral requirements. The movement has drawn support from urban areas and economic actors who value market-oriented policies, while critics have sometimes portrayed it as closely tied to business interests. Regardless, CREO has been an important element of Ecuador’s plural political landscape since 2012.