EN: The Presupuesto General del Estado (PGE) is basically the country’s yearly money plan. It estimates how much money the government will receive (from taxes, oil sales, fees, etc.) and how much it will spend (on education, health, roads, security and many other areas). The Constitution and the Código Orgánico de Planificación y Finanzas Públicas (COPLAFIP) say that the budget must follow the National Development Plan, so in theory it should reflect the government’s long-term priorities, not just short-term politics. (finanzas.gob.ec)
Each year the process starts inside the Executive. Ministries and public entities prepare their own estimates of needs and projects. This is part of the programming and formulation phase of the “budget cycle”, which also includes later stages like approval, execution and evaluation. The Ministry of Economy and Finance coordinates this work using technical guidelines and an online system, checking that requests are realistic and match the expected fiscal scenario (growth, prices, tax collection, debt limits, and so on). (finanzas.gob.ec)
By law, the President (through the Finance Ministry) must send the proforma budget to the National Assembly by around 31 October each year. The proforma includes the detailed numbers for income, spending and financing, plus a four-year projection. The Assembly normally has until 30 November to study it and either approve it, modify it within certain limits, or not act at all. During this period, ministers or their delegates appear before Assembly commissions to explain and defend the numbers. (planificacion.gob.ec)
If the Assembly approves the proforma, it becomes the official budget for the following year. If it rejects it, it must present its own alternative, but that proposal must respect macro-limits such as the overall deficit and debt rules established in the law and the development plan. If the Assembly does nothing within the deadline, the President’s original proforma automatically enters into force by decree—this is important, because it prevents the country from starting a new year without a budget. (geograficomilitar.gob.ec)
Once the budget is in force, we enter the execution stage: the government collects revenue, signs contracts, pays salaries and builds projects according to the approved figures. Throughout the year, there can be budget modifications, but major changes—especially those that increase the total size of the budget or alter debt limits—must follow strict rules and sometimes go back to the Assembly. Finally, after the year ends, the Finance Ministry prepares the liquidación del presupuesto, a kind of final report that compares what was planned with what actually happened. This closes the cycle and feeds into the next year’s planning. (finanzas.gob.ec)
