Otto Arosemena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Arosemena
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| 32nd President of Ecuador | |
| In office 16 November 1966 – 31 August 1968 |
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| Preceded by | Clemente Yerovi |
| Succeeded by | José María Velasco Ibarra |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 July 1925 Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Died | 20 April 1984 (aged 58) Salinas, Ecuador |
| Spouse |
Lucila Santos Trujillo
(m. 1947) |
| Alma mater | University of Guayaquil |
Otto Arosemena Gómez (born July 19, 1925 – died April 20, 1984) was a President of Ecuador. He led the country from November 16, 1966, to August 31, 1968. He is remembered for helping Ecuador grow and for building many schools.
Contents
Early Life and Political Start
Otto Arosemena was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. His parents were Luis Alberto Arosemena Tola and Mercedes Gómez Santistevan. He came from a well-known family in Guayaquil. His cousin and his cousin's father had also been presidents before him.
He went to elementary school at San José de los Hermanos Cristianos School. For high school, he attended Salesiano Cristóbal Colón and Vicente Rocafuerte High Schools. Later, he studied law at the University of Guayaquil, graduating in 1955.
Getting Involved in Public Service
Even while studying, Otto Arosemena started working in public life. In 1951, he became a member of the Electoral Tribunal of Guayas Province. This group helps manage elections. He later became the president of this tribunal.
His political career grew very quickly starting in 1954. In that year, he was chosen as a Deputy for Guayas Province in the National Congress. A Deputy is like a representative who helps make laws. He was chosen again in 1956.
In 1957, he became the President of the Chamber of Deputies. This is a very important leadership role in the government. By 1960, he was elected as a Senator, another type of national representative. He also joined the Monetary Board, which deals with money matters. In 1961, he became the Vice President of the Senate.
Standing Up for Democracy
In 1963, a military group took over the government and removed his cousin, President Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy. Otto Arosemena fought against this military rule.
By 1965, Ecuador was facing many problems. Otto Arosemena started a new political party called the Democratic Institutionalist Coalition (CID). One year later, he was chosen as a Deputy for the Constituent Assembly. This was a special meeting to create a new constitution for the country.
On November 16, 1966, the Constituent Assembly elected Otto Arosemena as the President of Ecuador.
Otto Arosemena's Presidency
When Otto Arosemena became president, people felt more hopeful about Ecuador's future. Both local and foreign investors started putting money into the country. This helped lead to important projects for national development.
Some people worried about his political views. To show he wanted to work with everyone, he chose a team of advisors that included different political groups. He also sent former President Galo Plaza on a friendly trip to Washington.
Oil Discovery and International Relations
In March 1967, good news came when oil started flowing from the Lago Agrio oil field in northeast Ecuador. This was a big moment for the country's economy.
That same year, President Arosemena attended a meeting of American Presidents in Punta del Este, Uruguay. At this meeting, he spoke openly about how the United States treated Latin American countries. He also talked about the problems with the Alliance for Progress Program, which was meant to help these countries. He was the only leader who refused to sign the final declaration. He felt it didn't offer enough real solutions.
Major Achievements for Ecuador
During his time as president, Otto Arosemena achieved many important things for Ecuador. These included:
- Creating the Ministry of Public Health, which focuses on the health of all citizens.
- Building the National Unity Bridge, now known as the Rafael Mendoza Avilés Bridge.
- Expanding the Manta seaport, making it bigger and better for trade.
- Constructing new highways, like the Ambato-Riobamba and El Empalme-Quevedo roads.
- Bringing electricity to areas like Manabí and the Santa Elena Peninsula.
- Repairing the Quito-Guayaquil railroad.
- Improving telecommunications across the country.
Perhaps his most important achievement was his plan to build schools. At its busiest, his government built an amazing 1.7 schools every single day!
His presidency, though short, greatly helped Ecuador develop and strengthened its democracy. He followed the law and called for new presidential elections. José María Velasco Ibarra won these elections for his fifth time. President Arosemena finished his term on August 31, 1968.
After the Presidency
After leaving office, Otto Arosemena continued to be involved in national politics. He served as a Deputy or National Representative in Congress. He also taught history and political geography at high schools and universities.
He wrote a book called Infamy and Truth (Infamia y verdad). In this book, he defended his government's oil policies, which some political opponents had criticized.
Otto Arosemena passed away in Salinas in 1984 after a fall.
See also
In Spanish: Otto Arosemena Gómez para niños
