Eloy Alfaro

General Eloy Alfaro was a prominent liberal leader and president of Ecuador, serving two terms from 1897–1901 and 1906–11. He emerged as a hero from the lower classes, leading a movement against conservative and clerical dominance. Alfaro's administration dismantled much of the previous government's structure, secularizing education, instituting civil marriage and divorce, and easing press controls.12

Despite his liberal reforms, Alfaro's rule was authoritarian, and he faced opposition from both conservatives and dissident liberals. His attempts to remain in power led to his overthrow in 1911. Tragically, he was later lynched by a mob in Quito in January 1912. His presidency marked a significant shift towards liberalism in Ecuador, though it did not fundamentally alter the power structures for the impoverished.12