Rafael Correa has been named the winner of the presidential election in Ecuador.

Correa earned his PHD from the University of Illinois in 2001.

Professor of Economics Werner Baer and former advisor of Correa says the president-elect respects private property and believes in a free market.

“He’s worried about Latin America in general and his country in particular. Obviously he wants to do something to improve the lot of the average citizen of his country,” Baer said. “He was always concerned about what happens to the distribution of income and how you can increase the benefits that lower income groups receive from society.”

Correa is the only U of I graduate ever to be elected president of a country.

His term is set to begin in January.