Jorge Yunda

Jorge Homero Yunda Machado (born 28 August 1965) is an Ecuadorian politician, physician, musician and radio broadcaster. He was a member of the PAIS Alliance but then changed parties to Centro Democrático. From 2017 until 2018, he served as a member of the National Assembly, when he run for the position as Metropolitan Mayor of Quito, under the Unión Ecuatoriana movement. He occupied the post from 2019 until 2021 when the municipal council decided to remove him from office due to several allegations of corruption against him.

Professional career

He completed his higher education at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the [ Central University of Ecuador, where he graduated with a degree in medicine. He worked as a surgeon at the Eugenio Espejo Hospital, the Hospital del Sur, and the Isidro Ayora Maternity Hospital.

In February 2017, he was elected to the National Assembly (Ecuador) representing the province of Pichincha as part of the Alianza PAIS (AP) Movement.

In the early hours of June 3, 2021, with 14 votes in favor, the Quito Metropolitan Council approved his removal from office due to several allegations of corruption against him. Following this decision, Deputy Mayor Santiago Guarderas took office as acting mayor of Quito until the respective review and appeal processes are completed and a decision is made by the Council. The decision made by the Quito Metropolitan Council was unanimously ratified by the Electoral Court on the morning of July 1, 2021, thus confirming Yunda's removal from office.

On July 30, 2021, the Court of Pichincha overturned the process to remove Jorge Yunda, rendering Guarderas' appointment null and void. However, on September 29, the Constitutional Court accepted the protective action filed by Guarderas, overturning the court rulings in favor of Yunda and confirming Guarderas' succession as mayor, this ruling being final.

On September 22, 2025, The Provincial Court of Pichincha upheld the innocence ofYunda and other 13 defendants in the case involving the purchase of PCR tests by the Municipality of Quito during the COVID-19 pandemic.