Leonardo Sánchez-Aragón
Associate Professor of Economics, ESPOL
Leonardo Sánchez-Aragón is an Associate Professor of Economics at ESPOL University in Ecuador. He holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University in 2014. His research centers on theoretical foundations and econometric methods for identifying and estimating economic effects, with particular emphasis on network models, instrumental variables, and applied microeconometrics. His work often combines methodological development, coding, and large administrative datasets. He has published in journals such as the Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Econometric Methods, The Stata Journal, and Economics Letters. He has held senior positions in Ecuador’s public sector, including Vice-Minister of Economics and Director of Economic Regulation. He has also worked closely with the Inter-American Development Bank, including collaborative research and policy work with senior IDB economists.
Recent work by Leonardo Sánchez-Aragón
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Reallocating resources, revitalising economies: How central transfers affect local economies
Evidence from Ecuador reveals that central transfers to subnational governments can meaningfully stimulate local economic activity – operating primarily through higher municipal spending on wages, procurement, and small-scale investment.
Published 19.12.25