Juan José Flores
Juan José Flores | |
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Presidential Portrait of Juan José Flores | |
1st & 3rd & 4th President of Ecuador | |
In office 1 April 1843 – 6 March 1845 | |
Preceded by | Francisco Aguirre Abad (as Acting Head of State) |
Succeeded by | José Joaquín de Olmedo (as Head of Provisional Government) |
In office 1 February 1839 – 15 January 1843 | |
Preceded by | Vicente Rocafuerte |
Succeeded by | Francisco Aguirre Abad (as Acting Head of State) |
In office 13 May 1830 – 10 September 1834 | |
Preceded by | Office created |
Succeeded by | Vicente Rocafuerte |
Personal details | |
Born | 19 July 1800 Puerto Cabello, Captaincy General of Venezuela (now Venezuela) |
Died | 1 October 1864 (aged 64) Puná Island, Ecuador |
Spouse | Mercedes Jijón |
Juan José Flores y Aramburu (19 July 1800 – 1 October 1864) was a Venezuelan-born military general who became the first (in 1830), third (in 1839) and fourth (in 1843) President of the new Republic of Ecuador.[1] He is often referred to as "The Founder of the Republic".[2]
Character
Juan José Flores' contemporaries described his physical appearance as a proud man in military uniform, slender and short but well proportioned, with a handsome countenance that radiates quick intelligence and a commanding presence. Juan José Flores appeared to be self-taught, and despite his scant rudimentary education, he became an eloquent orator and an avid reader of contemporary authors such as Rousseau, Montesquieu, Holbach, and Vattel. Juan José Flores was so fascinated with reading that in 1826 he asked for and received a shipment of books from General Santander, then vice-president of the Gran Colombia. Later in life, the professors of the University of Quito recognized Juan Jose Flores' efforts and bestowed an honorary doctorate on Flores in 1842.
Early life
Juan José Flores Aramburu was born on 19 July 1800, in the city of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, the illegitimate and only son of Juan José Aramburu, a rich and distinguished Spanish merchant from Spain, and to a Venezuelan, Rita Flores Bohorques. Eventually his father returned to Europe, abandoning his only son Juan José Flores and his mother to a life of extreme poverty. Because up to age 14 Juan José Flores received scant formal education, his impoverished mother placed him to learn and work in a Spanish military school and hospital. Since the poor yet sagacious Juan José Flores did not know what to do with his life at age 15, he enlisted as a private in the Spanish Royalist army of Spanish General Pablo Morillo, whose job it was to fight and destroy the patriot armies that were fighting for Spanish American independence in South America. During a short period of time Juan José Flores distinguished himself in the Spanish military for his loyalty, discipline, courage, heroism, and sagacity. However, as a sergeant, he was taken prisoner on 31 October 1817, and at this point he was convinced that freeing his homeland from Spain's domination was a just cause and joined the patriot army of Simón Bolívar. In the Patriot army he became loyal and acquainted with Simon Bolivar, who at an early stage recognized Juan José Flores' outstanding heroism and military talents especially at the victory at the Battle of Carabobo (1821), that at age 23 he was promoted to Colonel and then to Commandant General of the recently freed Royalist city of Pasto.
Political life
On 13 May 1830, the day of Ecuador's breaking away from Gran Colombia, Flores was named supreme chief of the new country, and then on 14 August 1830, he was named provisional president. His official term, however, did not start until 22 September 1830, 11 days after he was elected constitutional president by the assembly in Riobamba. That term lasted until 10 September 1834, and was marked with much turmoil. Flores faced a rebellion led by Luis Urdaneta, a loyalist of Simón Bolívar, who wanted to prevent Ecuador from leaving Gran Colombia. Flores also faced a threat from a member of the Ecuadorian congress, Vicente Rocafuerte, who attempted to overthrow him. Eventually, the two made an agreement – Rocafuerte would become president after Flores, and Flores would become leader of the military. Also during his term, he fought an invading Colombian army in 1832 and again starting in 1834, finally defeating them on 18 January 1835 in Miñarica, near Ambato. He was President of the Senate in 1837.
Flores' second term began on 1 February 1839, and ended 15 January 1843. The beginning of his term was marked by peace and social development—he kept his word to rule justly and to defend freedom. However, in the last year of his term, he intervened militarily in the politics of Nueva Granada at the request of the Colombian government, fighting his old enemy, José María Obando. When later forced to intervene again, he was attacked by the Colombian army and his popularity at home fell. Then, after irregularities in the elections of 1842, he pushed to have the 1835 constitution annulled, and the new constitution, nicknamed the "Carta de la esclavitud" ("charter of slavery") allowed him to continue in power for a third term, which began 1 April 1843. During this term, Flores fought to remain in power, but was ultimately overthrown on 6 March 1845 by a rebellion led by Rocafuerte and Vicente Ramón Roca, the man who became the next president of Ecuador.
Death
Flores died of uremia in 1864 while in campaign supporting the presidency of Gabriel García Moreno.
Legacy
Floreana Island in the Galapagos Archipelago is named for Flores.
References
External links
- [3]
- Presidential biography (Spanish language). Accessed 16 May 2005.
- Presidential terms and events (Spanish language). Accessed 16 May 2005.
Government offices | ||
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Preceded by Position created | President of Ecuador 1830–1834 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | President of Ecuador 1839–1843 | Succeeded by Francisco Aguirre Abad (Acting head of state) |
Preceded by Francisco Aguirre Abad (Acting head of state) | President of Ecuador 1843–1845 | Succeeded by José Joaquín de Olmedo (Acting Head of Provisional Government) |
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- Juan José Flores
- Vicente Rocafuerte
- Juan José Flores
- José Joaquín de Olmedo
- Vicente Ramón Roca
- Manuel de Ascásubi
- Diego Noboa
- José María Urvina
- Francisco Robles
- Gabriel García Moreno
- Rafael Carvajal
- Jerónimo Carrión
- Pedro José de Arteta
- Javier Espinosa
- Gabriel García Moreno
- Manuel de Ascásubi
- Gabriel García Moreno
- Francisco León Franco
- José Javier Eguiguren
- Antonio Borrero
- Ignacio de Veintemilla
- Provisional Government
- José María Sarasti
- Luis Cordero Crespo
- Rafael Pérez Pareja
- Agustín Guerrero
- Pedro Ignacio Lizarzaburu
- José Plácido Caamaño
- Pedro José Cevallos
- Antonio Flores Jijón
- Luis Cordero Crespo
- Vicente Lucio Salazar
- Eloy Alfaro
- Leónidas Plaza
- Lizardo García
- Eloy Alfaro
- Carlos Freile Zaldumbide
- Emilio Estrada
- Carlos Freile Zaldumbide
- Francisco Andrade Marín
- Alfredo Baquerizo
- Leónidas Plaza
- Alfredo Baquerizo
- José Luis Tamayo
- Gonzalo Córdova
- First Provisional Government
- Luis Telmo Paz y Miño
- Luis Napoleón Dillon
- Pedro Pablo Garaycoa
- Francisco Gómez de la Torre
- José Rafael Bustamante
- Modesto Larrea Jijón
- Francisco Arízaga Luque
- Moisés Oliva
- Second Provisional Government
- Isidro Ayora
- Luis Larrea Alba
- Alfredo Baquerizo
- Carlos Freile Larrea
- Alberto Guerrero Martínez
- Juan de Dios Martínez
- Abelardo Montalvo
- José María Velasco Ibarra
- Antonio Pons
- Federico Páez
- Alberto Enríquez Gallo
- Benigno Andrade Flores
- Manuel María Borrero
- Aurelio Mosquera
- Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río
- Andrés Córdova
- Julio Enrique Moreno
- Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río
- Julio Teodoro Salem
- José María Velasco Ibarra
- Carlos Mancheno Cajas
- Mariano Suárez
- Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola
- Galo Plaza
- José María Velasco Ibarra
- Camilo Ponce Enríquez
- José María Velasco Ibarra
- Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy
- Military Junta of 1963
- Clemente Yerovi
- Otto Arosemena
- José María Velasco Ibarra
- Guillermo Rodríguez
- Supreme Council of Government
- Jaime Roldós Aguilera
- Osvaldo Hurtado
- León Febres Cordero
- Rodrigo Borja Cevallos
- Sixto Durán Ballén
- Abdalá Bucaram
- Rosalía Arteaga
- Fabián Alarcón
- Jamil Mahuad
- Gustavo Noboa
- Lucio Gutiérrez
- Alfredo Palacio
- Rafael Correa
- Lenín Moreno
- Guillermo Lasso
- Daniel Noboa