History of Ecuador (1944–1960) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Republic of Ecuador
República del Ecuador
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| 1944–1960 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms
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Motto: "Dios, patria y libertad"
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Anthem: Salve, Oh Patria
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Ecuador in 1959
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| Capital | Quito | ||||||||
| Government | Presidential republic | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
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• 1944–1947
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José María Velasco Ibarra | ||||||||
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• 1947
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Carlos Mancheno Cajas | ||||||||
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• 1947
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Mariano Suárez Veintimilla | ||||||||
| Vice President | |||||||||
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• See list
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See list (from Mariano Suárez Veintimilla to Francisco Illingworth) | ||||||||
| Legislature | National Congress | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Established
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1 June 1944 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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31 August 1960 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Ecuador | ||||||||
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This article explores the history of Ecuador from 1944 to 1960. This period was important for the country. It saw different leaders and economic changes. We will look at how these years shaped Ecuador.
Contents
Ecuador's Mid-Century History
The years between 1944 and 1960 were a time of change for Ecuador. The country experienced both stability and challenges. Several presidents led the nation during this period.
Galo Plaza's Time as President
Galo Plaza was president of Ecuador from 1948 to 1952. He was different from earlier leaders. Plaza focused on developing the country. He also believed strongly in democracy.
Plaza helped Ecuador's economy grow. He boosted the export of farm products. This made the country more stable financially. During his time, a big earthquake hit Ambato in 1949. It caused a lot of damage and sadly, many people died. Plaza was the first president in 28 years to finish his full term. This showed his commitment to stable leadership.
Velasco Ibarra's Return to Power
The 1950s were a good time for Ecuador's economy. This was thanks to a "banana boom." The country earned a lot of money from selling bananas. This economic growth helped keep things calm in politics.
José María Velasco Ibarra was elected president for the third time in 1952. He was known for being a "populist." This means he was very popular with ordinary people. He often promised to build things like bridges and schools. The banana money helped him pay for these projects. He also rewarded his supporters with jobs.
Velasco Ibarra came to power with support from a group called the Concentration of Popular Forces (CFP). But once he was president, he arrested some of their leaders. He later got support from other groups. These included the Social Christian Movement (MSC) and the Ecuadorian Nationalist Revolutionary Action (ARNE). ARNE was a very nationalistic group.
In 1955, Velasco Ibarra had a disagreement with the United States. This was about fishing rights. Ecuadorian officials stopped U.S. fishing boats. They said the boats were fishing too close to Ecuador's coast. Ecuador claimed 200 nautical miles as its territory. This event was part of what became known as the "tuna war."
Camilo Ponce Enríquez Takes Charge
In 1956, Camilo Ponce Enríquez became president. He was a founder of the MSC party. His election was very close. Velasco Ibarra had supported Ponce, but later became his main opponent.
Ponce Enríquez showed good leadership. He brought different political groups together. He included Liberals, Conservatives, and his own MSC party in his government. This helped keep the country calm.
During Ponce's presidency, the banana boom started to end. Export prices fell, and more people lost their jobs. This led to some unrest in 1959. By 1960, the country was ready for another change. Velasco Ibarra was elected president again. This time, he won by a very large margin. His fourth term marked a return to political challenges and instability for Ecuador.
