Juan José Flores

Juan José Flores

Juan José Flores (born July 19, 1800 in Puerto Cabello in what is now Venezuela , † October 1, 1864 in front of the Isla de Puná ) was the first president of Ecuador and was therefore nicknamed "The Founder of the Republic". He took office in 1830 and later served two more terms, from 1839 to 1843 and from 1843 to 1845.

Life

He was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, and joined the Ecuadorian Army at the age of 15 . After his victory over Peruvian invasion forces in the so-called Portete de Tarqui near Cuenca , he was promoted to general in 1829. His involvement in the murder of Antonio José de Sucre on June 4, 1830 has never been proven. When Ecuador broke away from Greater Colombia on May 13, 1830 , he was appointed head of the new state, and then on August 24, 1830 provisional president. His official term of office did not begin until September 22, 1830, 11 days after his election as constitutional president by the parliament in Riobamba . This term of office lasted until September 10, 1834, and was marked by numerous unrest. Flores was confronted with a revolution led by Luis Urdaneta , a supporter of Simón Bolívar , who wanted to prevent Ecuador from leaving Greater Colombia. Flores also had to defend itself against an attempted coup by Vicente Rocafuerte , a member of the Ecuadorian Congress. Eventually the two came to an agreement - Rocafuerte was to succeed Flores in the presidency, and Flores in return would be Commander in Chief of the military. Flores also fought a Colombian invading army during this period of office from 1832. After the fighting flared up again in 1834, he finally defeated them on January 18, 1835 in Miñarica , near Ambato .

Flores' second term began on February 1, 1839 and ended on January 15, 1843. The beginning of this term was marked by peace and social progress - he stood by his promises of just government and the defense of freedom. In 1842, however, at the request of the Colombian government, he interfered in the politics of New Granada (today's Colombia), also to fight his old adversary José María Obando . When he was later forced to intervene again, he was attacked by the Colombian Army and his popularity at home began to decline. After irregularities in the 1842 elections, he pushed for the 1835 constitution to be annulled. The new constitution, quickly nicknamed the " Carta de la esclavitud " ("Declaration of Slavery"), allowed him to remain in power for a third term. During this tenure, which began April 1, 1843, Flores struggled to stay in power. Finally, on March 6, 1845, he was overthrown by a rebellion led by Vicente Rocafuerte and Vicente Ramón Roca . Roca then became the next president of Ecuador .

Flores fled to Peru, from where he repeatedly supported political conspiracies against Ecuadorian presidents. In the national crisis of 1859/60, a civil war in Ecuador, he became the general of his original political opponent, the clerical-conservative Gabriel García Moreno . Together they emerged victorious from the war, García Moreno first became provisional head of state, then constitutional president. Flores became governor of Guayaquil. In a brief war with New Granada in 1862 he was active again as a general, as well as in combating some attempts at overthrowing García Moreno.

He died in 1864 on his ship, which had docked on the Isla de Puná in the Gulf of Guayaquil , of urine poisoning as a result of acute kidney failure .

The island of Floreana (Galápagos Islands) is named after him.

Web links

• Official Biography of the President (Spanish)
• Terms of Office of the Ecuadorian Presidents (Spanish)

predecessor	Office	successor
-	President of Ecuador 1830–1835	Vicente Rocafuerte
Vicente Rocafuerte	President of Ecuador 1839–1845	José Joaquin de Olmedo