Juan José Flores facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan José Flores
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 (born July 19, 1800 – died October 1, 1864) was a military general born in Venezuela. He became the very first President of the new Republic of Ecuador in 1830. He also served as president two more times, in 1839 and 1843. Many people call him "The Founder of the Republic" because of his important role in creating Ecuador.

Who Was Juan José Flores?

People who knew Juan José Flores described him as a proud military man. He was slender and not very tall, but he looked strong and intelligent. Even though he didn't have much formal schooling, he taught himself a lot. He became a great speaker and loved to read books by famous thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu.

In 1826, he even asked for a shipment of books from General Santander, who was then the vice-president of Gran Colombia. Later, in 1842, professors at the University of Quito recognized his efforts and gave him an honorary doctorate degree. This showed how much he learned on his own.

Flores' Early Life and Military Career

Juan José Flores Aramburu was born on July 19, 1800, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. His father was a rich Spanish merchant, and his mother was Venezuelan. Sadly, his father left, and Juan José and his mother lived in great poverty.

Because of their situation, Juan José didn't get much school education. At age 14, he started working and learning at a Spanish military hospital. When he was 15, he joined the Spanish Royalist army as a private. This army was fighting against the patriot forces who wanted independence for South American countries from Spain.

Flores quickly showed he was loyal, disciplined, brave, and smart. He became a sergeant. However, in 1817, he was captured. This experience made him realize that fighting for his homeland's freedom was the right thing to do. So, he joined the patriot army led by Simón Bolívar. Bolívar soon noticed Flores's amazing bravery and military skills. After the important victory at the Battle of Carabobo in 1821, Flores was promoted to Colonel at just 23 years old. He then became the Commandant General of the city of Pasto.

Flores' Time as President

On May 13, 1830, Ecuador officially separated from Gran Colombia. On that day, Flores was chosen as the leader of the new country. Later, on August 14, 1830, he became the temporary president. His first official term as president began on September 22, 1830, after he was elected by an assembly in Riobamba.

His first term, which lasted until September 10, 1834, was quite challenging.

• Flores faced a rebellion from Luis Urdaneta, who wanted Ecuador to stay part of Gran Colombia.
• He also had trouble with Vicente Rocafuerte, a member of the Ecuadorian congress, who tried to remove him from power.
• Eventually, Flores and Rocafuerte made a deal: Rocafuerte would become president after Flores, and Flores would lead the military.
• During this time, Flores also fought against an invading Colombian army in 1832 and again in 1834. He finally defeated them on January 18, 1835, near Ambato.
• In 1837, he served as the President of the Senate.

Flores' second term as president started on February 1, 1839, and ended on January 15, 1843. This term began peacefully, and the country saw some social improvements. Flores tried to rule fairly and protect people's freedoms.

However, in his last year, he got involved in the politics of Nueva Granada (which is now Colombia) to help their government. This led to him fighting his old enemy, José María Obando. When he had to intervene again, the Colombian army attacked him, and people in Ecuador became less supportive of him.

After some problems with the elections in 1842, Flores pushed to cancel the old constitution from 1835. A new constitution, sometimes called the "Carta de la esclavitud" (meaning "charter of slavery"), allowed him to stay in power for a third term. This term began on April 1, 1843. During this time, Flores fought hard to keep his power. But on March 6, 1845, a rebellion led by Rocafuerte and Vicente Ramón Roca (who became the next president) finally overthrew him.

Flores' Later Years and Death

Juan José Flores died in 1864 from a kidney disease called uremia. At the time, he was involved in a military campaign, supporting the presidency of Gabriel García Moreno.

See also

In Spanish: Juan José Flores para niños