Plaza Lasso, Galo, 1906-87, president of Ecuador (1948-52) and secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS; 1968-75), b. New York City. He served (1944-46) as Ecuadorian ambassador to the United States and was a signer of the Charter of the United Nations. A liberal democrat and an expert in mechanized agriculture, as president he forwarded the agricultural development of Ecuador. Bananas, coffee, and cacao exports reached record heights. In spite of chronic political turbulence, Plaza brought a measure of economic prosperity to the country; he was the first constitutionally elected president in 28 years to complete his term. He later served as a UN mediator in Lebanon (1958), the Congo (1960), and Cyprus (1964-65). As secretary-general of the OAS, he earned a reputation for vigorous leadership.

or shopping centre

Collection of independent retail stores, services, and parking areas constructed and maintained by a management firm as a unit. It is a 20th-century adaptation of the historical marketplace. In the U.S., postwar migration from cities to suburbs and increased automobile use created a perceived need for centralized shopping facilities. The urban shopping arcade developed out of the need for shelter from the weather; Buffalo, N.Y., and Cleveland, Ohio, have charming trussed and glass-roofed examples. The next generation of shopping malls, the large regional centre sited in a vast sea of parking lots, bears little resemblance to its small, arcaded ancestors. Two of the world's largest malls are the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, and the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. In recent years large shopping malls have attempted to revive an arcadelike atmosphere, often featuring atriums and balconies.

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