Rodrigo Borja Cevallos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rodrigo Borja Cevallos
Rodrigo Borja in 1989
36th President of Ecuador
In office 10 August 1988 – 10 August 1992
Vice President	Luis Parodi Valverde
Preceded by	León Febres Cordero
Succeeded by	Sixto Durán Ballén
Personal details
Born	Rodrigo Borja Cevallos 19 June 1935 (1935-06-19) Quito, Ecuador
Died	December 18, 2025(2025-12-18) (aged 90) Quito, Ecuador
Political party	Democratic Left
Spouse	Carmen Calisto ​ (m. 1966)​
Children	4
Alma mater	Central University of Ecuador

Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (born 19 June 1935 – died 18 December 2025) was an important Ecuadorian politician, lawyer, and teacher. He served as the President of Ecuador from 1988 to 1992. His family also had a connection to the famous House of Borgia from history.

During his time as president, he worked to fix Ecuador's economy and helped an armed group called ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo! to stop fighting and give up their weapons. He also talked with Peru to solve a border issue and helped Ecuador work more closely with other countries in the region. A big part of his work was recognizing the rights and cultures of Ecuador's indigenous communities.

Early Life and Education

Rodrigo Borja was born in Quito, Ecuador, on June 19, 1935. He grew up in a historic part of the city called La Chilena. His parents were Luis Felipe Borja del Alcázar and Aurelia Cevallos Gangotena. It is said that his family was related to the famous House of Borgia from a long time ago, through Pope Alexander VI.

He went to school at Colegio Pensionado Borja and the Colegio Americano de Quito. Later, he studied at the Central University of Ecuador. In 1958, he earned a degree in Political and Social Sciences. Two years later, in 1960, he received a doctorate in law. While he was a student, Borja led the university's law association. He also worked as a journalist for HCJB radio and El Comercio newspaper.

Beginning a Political Career

Rodrigo Borja was interested in politics from a young age. In the 1950s, he joined the Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party. He was a strong student leader who spoke out against the government of Camilo Ponce Enríquez.

In 1962, he was elected to the Ecuadorian Congress. He served there until a military takeover happened in 1963. After that, Borja taught political science at the Central University. When the military government ended in 1966, he helped write a new constitution for the country.

In 1967, Borja and other young politicians decided to create a new political party. In 1968, he founded the Democratic Left party. This party was formed to offer different ideas from the government of José María Velasco Ibarra. Around that time, Borja visited Sweden and met Olof Palme, a famous Swedish leader.

He was elected to Congress again in 1970, but couldn't serve because Congress was soon closed. He also spoke out against the military government of Guillermo Rodríguez Lara. In 1978, after a new constitution was approved, Borja officially registered his party. He then ran for president in the election that year.

In the 1978 election, he came in fourth place but was re-elected as a deputy (a member of parliament). He supported President Jaime Roldós Aguilera in parliament. Borja ran for president again in 1984. He won the first round of voting, but in the second round, León Febres Cordero became president. However, Borja's party, the Democratic Left, became a strong opposition force in parliament.

President of Ecuador (1988–1992)

In 1987, Borja won his party's primary election. He then went on to win the presidential election in 1988 with 54% of the votes. He had support from many different political groups, even though his opponent, Abdalá Bucaram, ran a very tough campaign.

Rodrigo Borja became president on August 10, 1988, taking over from President Febres Cordero. Important leaders from other countries, like Fidel Castro and Mário Soares, came to his inauguration. He formed a government with another party, the Christian Democratic Union, to work together.

Economic Challenges and Solutions

President Borja faced big economic challenges when he took office. He worked hard to create a plan to stabilize the economy and make tough decisions to improve it. During his presidency, there were some protests from workers, students, and indigenous groups because of the economic changes and rising prices.

Supporting Indigenous Communities

In June 1990, a large protest by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador happened. In response, President Borja gave over one million hectares of land titles to indigenous communities in the Amazon region by May 1992. He also started a special education system that taught in two languages and officially recognized the different indigenous groups in Ecuador.

International Relations and Peace Efforts

President Rodrigo Borja with Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González in Madrid, 12 September 1989

In terms of international relations, President Borja achieved several important things. He brought back diplomatic ties with Nicaragua. He also helped Ecuador play a big role in creating the Andean Pact, which aimed to bring Latin American countries closer. He talked with Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori about a border disagreement in the Amazon. He even suggested that Pope John Paul II could help mediate, though this didn't happen. Borja also met with U.S. President George H. W. Bush twice, once in 1990 where they even played tennis, and again in 1992.

Addressing Internal Issues

During his time, a group called ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!, which had been involved in armed conflict, agreed to stop fighting and gave up their weapons. This process took place between 1989 and 1991. He also ordered the release of General Frank Vargas Pazzos, who had been involved in a political uprising in 1986. President Borja also faced challenges with crime and maintaining law and order in the country. In 1989, he established Petroecuador, a national oil company.

President Borja started an important program called the Monsignor Leonidas Proaño National Literacy Campaign. This program ran from 1988 to 1990 and helped at least 70,000 young students and 180,000 adults learn to read and write. In the early 1990s, he also had to manage a major cholera health crisis across the country.

By 1990, Ecuador's economy began to get better. However, some political problems led to his party losing in the 1992 legislative elections. One issue was when he declared Congress "morally dissolved" after they didn't pass an important money bill. This happened shortly after a similar event in Peru, causing some concern.

His term as president ended on August 10, 1992. He was succeeded by Sixto Durán-Ballén, who won the presidential elections that year.

Later Life and Contributions

Rodrigo Borja (right) with Ramiro González, 2004

After his presidency, the rules changed, allowing former presidents to run again. Borja ran for president two more times, in 1998 and 2002, but did not win.

He was a strong critic of the presidencies of Lucio Gutiérrez and Abdalá Bucaram.

After leaving active politics in 2003, he focused on teaching and writing. He managed a large project called the "Encyclopedia of Politics" and gave lectures around the world.

In 2007, Borja was chosen to be the Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). However, he resigned the next year because he had different ideas about how the organization should work. He believed UNASUR needed a stronger structure and more power.

On April 29, 2010, Borja became a member of the Ecuadorian Academy of Language.

Personal Life

In December 1966, Rodrigo Borja married Carmen Calisto. They had four children together. One of his grandsons is the Ecuadorian-American racing driver Juan Manuel Correa.

He enjoyed sports, especially athletics, tennis, and car racing.

Rodrigo Borja passed away in Quito on December 18, 2025, at the age of 90. The government declared three days of national mourning from December 19 to 21. His funeral chapel was set up on December 19 in the Crystal Palace in Itchimbía Park in Quito. The funeral took place there the following day, with many important people attending, including Vice President María José Pinto.

Honors

• Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain, 1989)

See also

In Spanish: Rodrigo Borja Cevallos para niños

• Party of the Democratic Left
• Alfredo Vera Arrata