List of presidents of Ecuador facts for kids

This article contains a list of presidents of Ecuador, since the independence from Gran Colombia (1830) to the present day.

Background

Juan José Flores was the first constitutional president of Ecuador, declaring the separation of the State of Ecuador from Gran Colombia, maintaining its presidential government structure, which has remained until the present day. Between 1830 and 1845, the office of President of the Republic was elected indirectly, that is, through the Legislature. The first presidents were mostly elected through Constituent Assemblies, a tradition in the politics of Ecuador which remained until 1967, with Otto Arosemena being the last constitutional president elected through the Constituent Assembly. This is one of the reasons why Ecuador has had 20 Constitutions since its foundation, many of them created with the intention of legitimizing the government of a president. Since 1869, the president is elected by popular vote; however, it should be borne in mind that during the 19th century, Ecuador lived a census democracy: only men with sufficient income and decent office voted, being Francisco Robles the first president elected by direct vote.

Between 1906 and 1944, during the Liberal Revolution, the elections were held in a generally fraudulent or corrupt manner, so the year 1944 is estimated as the beginning of democracy in Ecuador. Between 1906 and 1947, there was no office of Vice President. Between 1947 and 1970, the president and vice president were elected separately. Since 1979, the president and vice president are elected by direct suffrage on the same ballot. Since 1998, a candidate who obtains more than 40% of votes can also win, provided he has a difference of at least 10% over the second candidate. All these percentages are calculated on the total valid votes (that is, without counting null and blank votes).

The history of Ecuador has been full of instability, usually centered on the figure of the President of the Republic, which is why Ecuador's political culture has been traditionally called caudillista. During the 19th century, the country was torn apart twice after the overthrow of the presidents Francisco Robles and Ignacio de Veintemilla, with regional governments seeking access to national power. Until 1947, the majority of the constitutional presidents of the Republic came to power through coups d'etat, exercising dictatorial power which would be legitimized through the implementation of new constitutions, so that the governance and stability of the presidents has been usually weak, which is why there has been many presiding and interim presidents. There were two military dictatorships in the country (1963–1966 and 1972–1979) before democracy returned with the election of Jaime Roldós Aguilera. From 1996 to 2005, 3 constitutional presidents were overthrown (Abdalá Bucaram, Jamil Mahuad and Lucio Gutiérrez). The left-wing populist government of Rafael Correa (2007–2017) has been the most stable in national history, being able to remain in power constitutionally without interruptions for 10 years and 4 months. José María Velasco Ibarra is the longest-serving president since he held office for a total of 12 years, 10 months and 6 days and was elected President 5 times (1934–35, 1944–47, 1952–56, 1960–61 and 1968–1972).

List of presidents

No.	Portrait	Name (born–died)	Term of office			Political party		Elected	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Juan José Flores (1800–1864)	May 3, 1830	August 14, 1830	103 days		Independent
			August 14, 1830	September 10, 1834	4 years, 27 days			1830
2		Vicente Rocafuerte (1783–1847)	September 10, 1834	August 8, 1835	332 days		Independent
			August 8, 1835	January 31, 1839	3 years, 176 days			1835
(1)		Juan José Flores (1800–1864)	February 1, 1839	March 6, 1845 (deposed)	6 years, 136 days		Independent	1839 1843
—		José Joaquín de Olmedo (1780–1847) President of the triumvirate	March 6, 1845	December 8, 1845	174 days		Independent
3		Vicente Ramón Roca (1792–1858)	December 8, 1845	October 15, 1849	3 years, 311 days		Independent	1843
—		Manuel de Ascásubi (1804–1876) acting	October 15, 1849	December 7, 1850	1 year, 53 days		Independent
4		Diego Noboa (1789–1870)	December 8, 1850	February 25, 1851	79 days		Independent
			February 25, 1851	September 12, 1851	199 days			1851
5		José María Urvina (1808–1891)	July 24, 1851	July 17, 1852	359 days		Independent
			July 17, 1852	October 15, 1856	4 years, 90 days			1852
6		Francisco Robles (1811–1893)	October 16, 1856	August 31, 1859	2 years, 319 days		Independent	1856
7		Gabriel García Moreno (1821–1875)	January 17, 1861	April 2, 1861	75 days		Conservative Party
			April 2, 1861	August 30, 1865	4 years, 150 days			1861
—		Rafael Carvajal (1818–1881) acting	August 31, 1865	September 7, 1865	7 days		Conservative Party
8		Jerónimo Carrión (1804–1873)	September 7, 1865	November 6, 1867	2 years, 60 days		Conservative Party	1865
—		Pedro José de Arteta (1797–1873) acting	November 7, 1867	January 20, 1868	74 days		Conservative Party
9		Javier Espinosa (1815–1870)	January 20, 1868	January 19, 1869	365 days		Conservative Party	1868
—		Gabriel García Moreno (1821–1875) acting	January 19, 1869	May 19, 1869	120 days		Conservative Party
—		Manuel de Ascásubi (1804–1876) acting	May 19, 1869	August 10, 1869	83 days		Conservative Party
(7)		Gabriel García Moreno (1821–1875)	August 10, 1869	August 6, 1875 †	5 years, 361 days		Conservative Party	1869 1875 (May)
—		Francisco Xavier León (1832–1880) acting	August 6, 1875	September 15, 1875	40 days		Conservative Party
—		José Javier Eguiguren (1816–1884) acting	September 15, 1875	December 9, 1875	85 days		Conservative Party
10		Antonio Borrero (1827–1911)	December 9, 1875	December 18, 1876	1 year, 9 days		Conservative Party	1875 (Oct.)
11		Ignacio de Veintemilla (1828–1908)	December 18, 1876	January 26, 1878	1 year, 39 days		Military
			April 21, 1878	March 26, 1882	3 years, 339 days			1878
			March 26, 1882	July 9, 1883	1 year, 105 days
—		Luis Cordero Crespo (1833–1912) Government of the Restoration	July 1, 1892	April 16, 1895	2 years, 289 days		Republican Union Party
12		José Plácido Caamaño (1837–1900)	October 15, 1883	February 10, 1884	118 days		Conservative Party
			February 10, 1884	June 30, 1888	4 years, 141 days			1884
—		Pedro José Cevallos (1830–1892) acting	July 1, 1888	August 17, 1888	47 days		Conservative Party
13		Antonio Flores Jijón (1833–1915)	August 17, 1888	June 10, 1892	3 years, 298 days		Republican Union Party	1888
14		Luis Cordero Crespo (1833–1912)	July 1, 1892	April 16, 1895	2 years, 289 days		Republican Union Party	1892
—		Vicente Lucio Salazar (1832–1896) acting	April 16, 1895	June 5, 1895	50 days		Conservative Party
15		Eloy Alfaro (1842–1912)	June 5, 1895	October 9, 1896	1 year, 126 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
			October 9, 1896	August 31, 1901	4 years, 326 days			1897
16		Leónidas Plaza (1865–1932)	September 1, 1901	August 31, 1905	3 years, 364 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1901
17		Lizardo García (1844–1937)	September 1, 1905	January 15, 1906	136 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1905
(15)		Eloy Alfaro (1842–1912)	January 16, 1906	October 9, 1906	266 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
			October 9, 1906	August 11, 1911	4 years, 306 days			1906
—		Carlos Freile Zaldumbide (1851–1928) acting	August 11, 1911	August 31, 1911	20 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
18		Emilio Estrada (1855–1911)	September 1, 1911	December 21, 1911	111 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1911
—		Carlos Freile Zaldumbide (1851–1928) acting	December 22, 1911	March 5, 1912	74 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Francisco Andrade Marín (1841–1935) acting	March 6, 1912	August 1, 1912	148 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Alfredo Baquerizo (1859–1951) acting	August 1, 1912	September 1, 1912	31 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
(16)		Leónidas Plaza (1865–1932)	September 1, 1912	August 31, 1916	3 years, 365 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1912
19		Alfredo Baquerizo (1859–1951)	September 1, 1916	August 31, 1920	3 years, 365 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1916
20		José Luis Tamayo (1858–1947)	September 1, 1920	August 31, 1924	3 years, 365 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1920
21		Gonzalo Córdova (1863–1928)	September 1, 1924	July 9, 1925	311 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1924
		First Provisional Government collective leadership	July 10, 1925	January 6, 1926	180 days
		Second Provisional Government collective leadership	January 10, 1926	March 31, 1926	80 days
22		Isidro Ayora (1879–1978)	April 3, 1926	April 17, 1929	3 years, 14 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
			April 17, 1929	August 24, 1931	2 years, 129 days			1929
—		Luis Larrea Alba (1894–1979) acting	August 24, 1931	October 15, 1931	52 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Alfredo Baquerizo (1859–1951) acting	October 15, 1931	August 28, 1932	318 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Carlos Freile Larrea (1876–1942) acting	August 28, 1932	September 1, 1932	4 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Alberto Guerrero Martínez (1878–1941) acting	September 2, 1932	December 4, 1932	93 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
23		Juan de Dios Martínez (1875–1955)	December 5, 1932	October 19, 1933	318 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1932
—		Abelardo Montalvo (1876–1950) acting	October 20, 1933	August 31, 1934	315 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
24		José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979)	September 1, 1934	August 21, 1935	354 days		Independent	1934
—		Antonio Pons (1897–1980) acting	August 21, 1935	September 25, 1935	35 days		Conservative Party
—		Federico Páez (1877–1974) Jefe Supremo	September 26, 1935	October 23, 1937	2 years, 27 days		Independent
—		Alberto Enríquez Gallo (1894–1962) Jefe Supremo	October 23, 1937	August 10, 1938	291 days		Military
—		Manuel María Borrero (1883–1975) acting	August 10, 1938	December 1, 1938	113 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
25		Aurelio Mosquera (1883–1939)	December 2, 1938	November 17, 1939	350 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1938
—		Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río (1893–1969) acting	November 18, 1939	December 10, 1939	22 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Andrés Córdova (1892–1983) acting	December 11, 1939	August 10, 1940	243 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
—		Julio Enrique Moreno (1879–1952) acting	August 10, 1940	August 31, 1940	21 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
26		Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río (1893–1969)	September 1, 1940	May 28, 1944	3 years, 270 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party	1940
—		Julio Teodoro Salem (1900–1968) acting	May 29, 1944	May 31, 1944	2 days		Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party
(24)		José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979)	June 1, 1944	August 23, 1947	3 years, 83 days		Independent	1944 1946
—		Carlos Mancheno Cajas (1902–1996) Jefe Supremo	August 23, 1947	September 2, 1947	10 days		Military
27		Mariano Suárez Veintimilla (1897–1980)	September 2, 1947	September 17, 1947	15 days		Conservative Party	1946
28		C. J. Arosemena Tola (1888–1952)	September 17, 1947	August 31, 1948	349 days		Independent	1947
29		Galo Plaza (1906–1987)	September 1, 1948	August 31, 1952	3 years, 365 days		National Democratic Civic Movement	1948
(24)		José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979)	September 1, 1952	August 31, 1956	3 years, 365 days		Velaquista National Federation	1952
30		Camilo Ponce Enríquez (1912–1976)	September 1, 1956	August 31, 1960	3 years, 365 days		Social Christian Party	1956
(24)		José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979)	September 1, 1960	November 7, 1961	1 year, 67 days		Velaquista National Federation	1960
31		C. J. Arosemena Monroy (1919–2004)	November 7, 1961	July 11, 1963	1 year, 246 days		Independent
—		Admiral Ramón Castro Jijón (1915–1984) Chairman of the Military Junta of 1963	July 11, 1963	March 29, 1966	2 years, 261 days		Military
—		Clemente Yerovi (1904–1981) acting	March 30, 1966	November 16, 1966	231 days		Institutionalist Democratic Coalition
32		Otto Arosemena (1925–1984)	November 16, 1966	May 25, 1967	190 days		Institutionalist Democratic Coalition
			May 25, 1967	August 31, 1968	1 year, 98 days
(24)		José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979)	September 1, 1968	February 15, 1972	3 years, 167 days		Velaquista National Federation	1968
—		General Guillermo Rodríguez Lara (born 1923) Chairman of the Council of Government	February 15, 1972	January 11, 1976	3 years, 330 days		Military
—		Vice Admiral Alfredo Poveda (1926–1990) President of the Supreme Council of Government	January 11, 1976	August 10, 1979	3 years, 211 days		Military
33		Jaime Roldós Aguilera (1940–1981)	August 10, 1979	May 24, 1981	1 year, 287 days		Concentration of People's Forces	1979
34		Osvaldo Hurtado (born 1939)	May 24, 1981	August 10, 1984	3 years, 78 days		Popular Democracy
35		León Febres Cordero (1931–2008)	August 10, 1984	August 10, 1988	4 years		Social Christian Party	1984
36		Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (born 1935)	August 10, 1988	August 10, 1992	4 years		Democratic Left	1988
37		Sixto Durán Ballén (1921–2016)	August 10, 1992	August 10, 1996	4 years		Republican Unity Party	1992
38		Abdalá Bucaram (born 1952)	August 10, 1996	February 6, 1997	180 days		Ecuadorian Roldosist Party	1996
39		Rosalía Arteaga (born 1956)	February 9, 1997	February 11, 1997	2 days		MIRA Movement
40		Fabián Alarcón (born 1947)	February 11, 1997	August 10, 1998	1 year, 180 days		Alfarista Radical Front
41		Jamil Mahuad (born 1949)	August 10, 1998	January 21, 2000 (deposed)	1 year, 164 days		Popular Democracy	1998
42		Gustavo Noboa (1937–2021)	January 22, 2000	January 15, 2003	2 years, 358 days		Independent
43		Lucio Gutiérrez (born 1957)	January 15, 2003	April 20, 2005	2 years, 95 days		Patriotic Society Party	2002
44		Alfredo Palacio (born 1939)	April 20, 2005	January 15, 2007	1 year, 270 days		Independent
45		Rafael Correa (born 1963)	January 15, 2007	May 24, 2017	10 years, 129 days		PAIS Alliance	2006 2009 2013
46		Lenín Moreno (born 1953)	May 24, 2017	May 24, 2021	4 years		PAIS Alliance	2017
47		Guillermo Lasso (born 1955)	May 24, 2021	November 23, 2023	2 years, 183 days		Creating Opportunities	2021
48		Daniel Noboa (born 1987)	November 23, 2023	Incumbent	156 days		National Democratic Action	2023

Timeline

Rival governments in rebellion

Picture	Name	Began	Ended	Title(s)
	Vicente Rocafuerte	October 20, 1833	July 1834	Jefe Supremo of the Department of the Guayas
	José Félix Valdivieso	July 13, 1834	January 18, 1835	Jefe Supremo
	José Joaquín de Olmedo	March 6, 1845	June 18, 1845	President of the Provisional Government
	Antonio de Elizalde	March 1850	1850	Jefe Supremo
	Diego Noboa	February 20, 1850	June 10, 1850	Jefe Supremo
	José María Urvina	July 13, 1851	July 17, 1851	Jefe Supremo
	Provisional Government	May 1, 1859	June 4, 1859	Members: Gabriel García Moreno (from May 25) Manuel Gómez de la Torre (to May 25) José María Avilés Pacífico Chiriboga
	Jerónimo Carrión	June 6, 1859	1859
	Gabriel García Moreno	June 4, 1859	September 17, 1861	Jefe Supremo
	Guillermo Franco	September 17, 1859	September 24, 1860	Jefe Supremo of Guayas and Azuay
	Ignacio de Veintemilla	September 8, 1876	December 19, 1876	Jefe Supremo
	Eloy Alfaro	February 1883	October 11, 1883	Jefe Supremo of Manabí and Esmeraldas
	Provisional Government	January 14, 1883	July 9, 1883	Members: José María Sarasti Pedro Ignacio Lizarzaburu Agustín Guerrero Luis Cordero Crespo (from February 14) Pablo Herrera (to February 14) Rafael Pérez Pareja
	Pedro Carbo	September 17, 1883	October 11, 1883	Jefe Supremo of Guayas
	Eloy Alfaro	June 19, 1895	August 23, 1895	Jefe Supremo
	Flavio E. Alfaro Santana	December 22, 1911	January 1912
	Pedro Jacinto Montero Maridueña	December 28, 1911	January 21, 1912

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes del Ecuador para niños

• President of Ecuador
• History of Ecuador