Sorry I missed my post! Today I will post early so I am sure to remember. I wanted to make one last post (for now) about things I am passionate about. This is one topic I am sure I will talk about a lot on here and I apologize to anyone reading who does not share my love of it. I am talking, of course, about politics. Today I want to talk about how interesting and even enjoyable politics can be. Specifically political history. It doesn't have to be dry or procedural! No really!
I have a particular affinity for the political history of Ecuador, in part because I think it is often overlooked when scholars cast their eyes towards the South in favor of Argentina, Colombia, or Brazil. Though the small country may make US headlines less frequently than other countries, its political history and present day are just as interesting and in many ways just as important to know and understand as the bigger players in South America.
I wanted to begin with a list because, as you may have noticed, I like them. And in this case because the list illustrates an important point.
Ecuadorian Presidents 1996-2006 (Before you read this list try to guess how many names will be on it).
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| Go ahead. Guess. I'll wait... |
Did you guess? No? Well, fine. Spoilsport. Time to find out the answer anyways.
Ecuadorian Presidents From 1996 to 2006 (or more accurately January 2007)
1. August 1996 to February 1997 - Abdala Bucaram
2. February 1997 to August 1998 - Fabian Alarcon (interrupted briefly by Rosalia Arteaga)
3. August 1998 to January 2000 - Jamil Mahuad
4. January 2000 to January 2003 - Gustavo Noboa
5. January 2003 to April 2005 - Lucio Gutierrez
6. April 2005 to January 2007 - Alfredo Palacio
That's right: 6 (6.5 really including Arteaga) in 10 years! That's an average of one and a half years per president for a whole decade. That period is someone's entire childhood! Do you see the point this list was making? Ecuadorian history is complex, rich, and sometimes a little bit crazy. For goodness sake Bucaram nicknamed himself "El Loco"!
Here are some other numbers that may surprise you.
- 5 of the 6 former presidents were arrested or charged with a major crime relating to their time in power from embezzlement to treason
- 0 out of 6 completed a full 4 year presidential term (some were removed from office, the rest completed the removed presidents term, but did not get elected on their own)
- 3 out of 6 were removed from power by the congress or by force
- 1 out of 6 was party to a failed military coup of an earlier president has been implicated in other attempts to overthrow the government since his own removal from the presidency
- 3 years was the longest continuous presidential term during these 10 years
- 2 days was the shortest term, held by Arteaga when she challenged Alarcon's legitimacy (he had already been president for a whopping 3 days when he stepped aside for her challenge)
Pretty interesting 10 years of political history right there, yeah? Still not convinced? Okay, but I'm convinced you didn't read any of those wikipedia links. Or do further googling. Seriously, Abdala Bucaram's life reads like the best book! Or the worst... depending on your taste.
Well, I'll convince you, somehow. Let's stay in Ecuador, but go back a ways to visit the life of one of my favorite politicians: Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra, a man who would be president five times (and only complete one of those five terms).
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| Who wouldn't want to know more about this dapper dude? |
Credit to Wikipedia for the image
Ibarra was born into the country's capital city, Quito, in 1893. His father, a civil engineer by trade, was involved in conservative political activism during the years of liberal dictatorship begun by Eloy Alfaro in 1895, and ending in 1912 when Alfaro himself was violently murdered then burned in effigy. (Sound interesting? Good thing my next post will be all about it!) Anyways, back to our future president Velasco Ibarra... He earned a doctorate in law from the Central University of Ecuador.
His first run was in 1933 and he won with a record setting 80% of the popular vote, but he did not finish his first term. A military coup (which will become a theme in Ibarra's life) ousted him and he ran to Colombia to escape. He lived in exile in both Colombia and Argentina, working in both countries as a university professor.
But eventually he returned to his home country and in 1940 he stood for election again, this time against Carlos Arroyo Del Rio, who ended up defeating Ibarra (supposedly by fraudulent means as Del Rio did not have the popular support that Ibarra did). Ibarra planned to overthrow Del Rio and take the presidency, but he was discovered and for the second time sent into exile.
Fortunately for Ibarra, though perhaps not for Ecuador at large, Del Rio lost a war, attempted to set up a police state, and was overthrown clearing the way for Ibarra to take control again in early 1944. Any guesses what happens next? If you guessed military power grab that gets Ibarra exiled for a third time you are right! You smartie.
The man who overthrew Ibarra lasted only ten days, but a quick succession of other presidents (including Ibarra's former VP) eventually led to the election of Galo Plaza, who remained in power until 1952. Guess who shows up for his third run as President of Ecuador? Did you guess Ibarra? Cause you're right again! Hmmm. Maybe you should be writing this blog post, huh?
So Ibarra is in power. He's the president. The big boss. El jefe. Who has some guesses about where our story goes next? Exile? Military detention? Dictatorship? No. Nope. Uh-uh. Ibarra actually serves a full term. Four years. And here's another surprise: he gets a lot done. During these 4 years Ibarra's love of infrastructure become clear and apparent. There are more than 300 new schools completed with over 100 more being built across the country by 1956. More than 1300 kilometers of road are built and over 1000 kilometers are improved or repaired during that same time. Ibarra's term ends and a new president is elected. Who's been counting terms? Is Ibarra coming back?
You bet he is! Four short years and one president later Ibarra is president again. This time he makes some not so good choices, like getting rid of an important agreement between Ecuador and their on again off again enemies to the south, Peru. This leads to all sorts of disagreements and warring down the road for the two countries. Not such a stellar political move. Ibarra's term doesn't even last two years this time. He's removed from power before the end of 1961. Again by the military (and a coalition of politicians who support Castro way more than Ibarra is willing to).
His last term runs from 1968 to 1972, ending in another military (but non-violent) coup. That's four military coups in one president's history! I'd give up at this point and retire to a nice quiet life away from the armed services. Ibarra is basically forced to do just that. He "retires" (read: is exiled) to Argentina and lives there until 1979, a month before his death, when he returns to Ecuador - presumably to make another go at the presidency before injuries from falling off a bus catch up to him (actually he only came back so he could die in his home country).
Ibarra's legacy is far from being all rainbows and sunshine. He did not always respect the rule of law and tried to declare himself dictator, imprisoned those who disagreed with him, and often suppressed a free press who wouldn't parrot his beliefs. But he also placed a high premium on infrastructure, something desperately needed in Ecuador during Ibarra's time. He mandated days off for workers each week and kept unemployment low with his many public works projects. He also championed land reform and higher wages.
By the end of it all Ibarra had been president of Ecuador a cumulative 13 years, a record still held today for longest serving Ecuadorian president. He left behind a legacy as a hugely charismatic popular figure who once famously quipped, "Give me a balcony and I will become president." Though there is scholarly dispute about Ibarra's status as a true "populist" leader, having held support from wealthy elite as well as the common man, he will always be, to me, a sign of the power of words and personality in the Ecuadorian political machine. He is also a great example of how unpredictable and dynamic politics can be.
There you have it! An extra long post to make up for my missed one, I guess. Sorry on both counts! Next post I will talk a little bit about Aloy Alfaro and maybe some modern Ecuadorian politics as the man who holds the reigns in Ecuador today is, in many ways, a philosophical successor to Alfaro.
Best wishes!
Owl
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