Evening star., 1935-11-10
DICTATORSHIP EXPECTED
TO END ECUADOR STRIFE
Paez and Army, in Control of Republic,
Wrestling Rule From Legis-
lative Branch.

reform could not cnange their nature
overnight Some drastic and funda.
mental alterations In their political
and social system, years and decades
of education, and rapid growth and
flourishment of their native industries
the task Of generations-would be
necessary to modify the outlook and
ideals of most Latin Americans today
in public life.
Ecuadorian leaders of public opin-
ion, as their cousins in the other
southern republics, are still, essen
TALLY, "politicos." The result is that
the new Ecuadorian Senate, made up
of representatives. Of we'll organized
groups and of professional classes with
powerful weapons in their hands, be.
came tremendous political force.
Instead of an assembly Of popular
representatives defending the rights
and interests of their respective COM
munities the Ecuadorian government
was confronted with a well organized
and defiant Senate. demanding SUBJ
mission to its policies.
In less than four years Ecuador
had six different chief executives, and
one President-elect who was never
inaugurated, and most of them owed
their political fate to the dictates OF
the Senate at Quito. Late in 1881
President Ayora, under whose regime
the parliamentary reform took place,
was forced out of Office by the stern
refusal of the Senate to cooperate
with him and the adverse public
opinion which congressional leaders
succeeded in arousing.
Col. Larrea Alba was chosen as his
successor, but he did not last long.
Suspected of personal ambitions and
his desire to establish a military die
tatorship, the colonel was also given
indefinite leave of absence and a new
provisional President, Dr. Baquerizo
Moreno, was appointed by Congress.
Under Baquerizo Moreno's regime
a general election was called and in
this Senor Bonifaz, an opposition
leader. Conservative. triumphed over
the three candidates of the Liberal
party. who had split the Liberal vote.
How Conservative candidate, having
Unexpectedly won at the polls, was to
arrive safely in the presidential chair
over the wishes and designs of large
and autocratic Liberal ma ajority In the
Senate was something of a mystery
to foreign observers. The mystery was
dispelled by the Quito Senate when it
annulled the election of Senor Boni-
faz and called new presidential
election
This time Liberal, Senor Martinez
Mera, received a majority at the polls
and was subsequently inaugurated as
chief executive of Ecuador. Soon
afterWard. however. he was, according
to the New York Times correspond
ent, practically kicked out of office"
by the Senate.
Ibarra Finally Succumbed.
A new Provisional President was
selected by Congress, new electoral
preparations inSued, a new election
was held. Senor Valasco Ibarra, one
of the leaders of the parliamentary
opposition which had ousted Martinez
J Mera, was chosen to steer the Ecua-
dorian ship of state. He had hardly
/ been lnaugurated in Office when the
Senate started using the tactics which
had resulted in his predecessors fall.
| Although Velasco Ibarra weathered
! the first storm, and the second one
/ in the beginning of this year, last
August he, too, was forced out, leav-
ing as his successor his minister Of
the interior, Senor Ponce.
1t was from Provisional President
Ponce that, little over a month ago.
the army leaders took, manu- mill.
tari," the reins Of government and
7 placed them in the hands of Senor
PaeZ. at the same time dissolving
Congress and promising the Ecua-
dorian people constitutional reforms
which will insure greater stability
and domestic normalcy in the years
to come.
(Copvrieht 1Q35O