Social Studies: Presidents biographies.

Juan José Flores, Founder of the Republic

Juan José Flores was Ecuador’s first president and is remembered today as “The Founder of the Republic”. Although born in Venezuela in the year 1800, Flores spent most of his life in the service of Ecuador and was instrumental in both the attainment and maintenance of the country’s independence in an era in which national borders were far from being set in stone. A soldier at the age of 15 and a full-fledged general at 29, Flores was acclaimed Ecuador’s president shortly after the new nation broke away from the disintegrating federation known as Gran Colombia. Ecuador’s independence was no sure thing - Flores faced opposition from within the country from those who opposed independence and also from the armies of Colombia, who invaded Ecuador in 1832 and 1834. Flores finally defeated the Colombians in January of 1835 in a crucial battle near the Ecuadorian town of Ambato. Flores resigned his office before the 1835 election, allowing Vicente Rocafuerte to become the next president. Flores was re-elected president in 1839. With Ecuador secure from foreign attack and the internal rebellions crushed, Flores set about establishing Ecuador’s social and political infrastructure, with political power centred on the capitol city of Quito. He was re-elected in 1843, although he had to fine tune the country’s constitution somewhat to allow him to serve a third term. By 1845, however, a rebellion led by Rocafuerte finally succeeded in driving Flores from the power, and he left Ecuador for Paris where he lived until 1860.  Juan José Flores died at sea in 1864 of uraemia, a fatal condition caused by kidney failure. One of his children was Antonio Flores, who himself became president of Ecuador in 1888.

Vicente Rocafuerte y Bejarano

(May 1, 1783 – May 16, 1847) was an influential figure in Ecuadorian politics and President of Ecuador from September 10, 1834 to January 31, 1839. He was born into an aristocratic family in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he was sent to Madrid to finish his education. He returned to Ecuador in 1807, and committed himself to freeing his land, first from Spanish rule, and later from the Republic of Gran Colombia. After Ecuadorian independence, Rocafuerte was elected a member of the National Congressfor Pichincha Province. He led the opposition to President Juan José Flores, who exiled him to Peru.  Rocafuerte returned, on September 20, 1833, became Governor of Guayas Province. He revolted against Flores, but was defeated and imprisoned. Rocafuerte negotiated a settlement with Flores, and was released from prison. The settlement allowed Flores to finish his term in office, and promised Rocafuerte would become president afterwards, with Flores to head the army.

During his presidency, Rocafuerte passed a new constitution in 1835, and gave greater protection to indigenous people in Ecuador. In 1839, after Rocafuerte had left office, Flores was again elected president, and for some time there were no difficulties between the two men. However, after electoral irregularities in 1843, Flores annulled the 1835 constitution and passed a new one, called by Rocafuerte 'The Letter of Slavery'. When Flores took up a third term as president in 1843, Rocafuerte left Ecuador in protest. After a short rebellion, Rocafuerte and Vicente Ramón Roca overthrew Flores on March 6, 1845, and Roca became president of Ecuador later that year.  Under Vicente Ramón Roca's presidency, Rocafuerte was appointed as special representative to various South American countries. He died on May 16, 1847.

Vicente Ramón Roca

Ecuadorian politician, born in Guayaquil on September 2, 1792, and died in the same city on February 23, 1858. He was member of the provisional since March 7 Government until December 8, 1845 and constitutional President in the period 1845-1849. He didn’t attended college, and perhaps not secondary. Practical man, disciplined, serious and ambitious, became prosperous merchant since his youth. He enjoyed the friendship of Simón Bolívar. He was a representative and Senator in several opportunities, and one of the leaders of the revolution "marcist", that which was held in Guayaquil on March 6, 1845, against President Flores. After the revolution, he formed a triumvirate that included him, along with Olmedo and Diego Noboa. The objective of this interim Government was winning the accession of the rest of the country. General Flores promised to go to Europe for a couple of years if the Provisional Government kept the military hierarchy, his honours and pensions, and paid him unpaid wages and gave him some travel expenses of 20,000 pesos. The triumvirate agreed immediately and Flores travelled to Europe. The meeting Convention in Cuenca, elected Roca as President of the Republic after numerous votes. One of the major problems that Roca faced during his Government was the threat of a reconquest of the Ecuador that Juan José Flores was preparing from Europe. With fear, Roca sent emissaries to several South American capitals in order to form a common front against an eventual invasion attempt. English public opinion denied all support to Flores and the project collapsed. Roca was able to end the “Floreana crisis”: he surrounded himself with competent people, respected the opposition and managed to keep the unity of the nation. He left poor by the Presidency, and in 1851 he was exiled to the Peru. On his return to Guayaquil, he had an insecure and poor life, working until his death as an employee of a trade with his cousin Agustín Roca.

Manuel de Ascásubi y Matheu (1804-1876)

Ecuadorian politician, born in Quito in 1804 and died in the same city in 1876. He was President of the Republic from October 16, 1847 to December 7, 1850. He came from a family of Patriots committed to the cause of independence: his paternal uncle, Francisco Javier Ascásubi, was one of the principal chiefs of the Quito revolution of 1809 and one of those killed in Quito on August 2, 1810; his father had also been pursued by the royalists. He was member of the society of "El Quiteño Libre", from which fought against general Flores. He served as Senator, Minister of war in the second administration of García Moreno, and twice Vice President. In 1849, the Congress met to elect successor to President Roca, the Congress chose to give the Government a Manuel de Ascásubi, who came to power on October 16, 1849. Ascasubi was a sensible and progressive, government aided in the Ministry of the Interior and of war by Benigno Malo and the Treasury by Javier Valdivieso. Schools were established in the barracks and Sunday schools for the people; the study of medicine and the hospital care has been improved and clarified itself public accounting. The opposition fought from the beginning of its mandate up to impeach him, which, after several attempts, was deposed by general Urvina, who ceded the Presidency to Diego Noboa.