Guillermo Franco (February 8, 1811 in

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

– March 1873 in

Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists o ...

, Peru) was an

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

ian

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Biography

From a young age, Franco was interested in becoming a military man. He could not participate in the Revolution of October 9, 1820 on account of his young age, but soon thereafter enrolled at the Nautical School founded by Admiral Illingworth. On August 31, 1828, along with

José María Urvina José María Mariano Segundo de Urvina y Viteri (19 March 1808 – 4 September 1891) was President of Ecuador from 13 July 1851 to 16 October 1856. He was born in Quillan San Migelito (Pillaro-Tungurahua) on 19 March 1808. Name spelling The corr ...

Francisco Robles Francisco Robles García (5 May 1811 – 7 March 1893) was President of Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally ...

, Luis de Tola and several others, under the command of Captain Tomás Carlos Wright, he participated with distinction in the

Battle of Punta Malpelo The Battle of Punta Malpelo was a naval encounter between a Peruvian corvette and two Gran Colombian vessels on 31 August 1828, near the port of Guayaquil, and was the first major combat of the Peruvian Navy as an independent force of the newborn ...

. During the early years of the Republic of Ecuador, Franco continued his ascent through the ranks, until in 1857, during the presidency of General Francisco Robles, he was designated Chief of the Garrison of Guayaquil. By August 1859, Franco was the General Commander of the District of Guayas, and the third in the ''Urbinista'' caudillo hierarchy, after Urvina and Robles. Like all military men of the time, he aspired to the presidency of the republic, and awaited the moment that he could take power via a coup. These were men whose ambition knew no limits, and would willingly betray their country to satisfy their desire for power. In Quito, a triumvirate made up of the doctors Gabriel García Moreno, Jerónimo Carrión and

Pacifico Chiriboga Pacifico may refer to: People *Pacificus of Verona (776–844), 9th century archdeacon of Verona *Pacificus (Pacifico), 13th-century follower of St. Francis of Assisi *Pacificus of San Severino (1653–1721), 17th-century saint *Pacifico Licutan ...

had established itself in opposition to the Robles regime. Franco seized his opportunity, declaring himself Supreme Chief of Guayaquil and Cuenca on September 17. He made a deal with Peruvian President

Ramón Castilla Ramón Castilla y Marquesado (; 31 August 1797 – 30 May 1867) was a Peruvian ''caudillo'' who served as President of Peru three times as well as the Interim President of Peru (Revolution Self-proclaimed President) in 1863. His earliest pr ...

, who wanted to make the most of the Ecuadorian civil unrest in order to secure a favorable outcome for his side in the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War of 1857–1860, additionally convincing Castilla to back him against García Moreno. On January 25, 1860, the Treaty of Mapasingue was signed by Franco and Castilla, with Franco accepting the Peruvian demands in exchange for money, men, weapons, ships and munitions for the coming fight against García Moreno's provisional government. However, García Moreno was able to ally himself with former enemy Juan José Flores, an experienced general who took command of the provisional government army, and defeated Franco's forces at

Babahoyo Babahoyo (), founded May 27, 1948, by legislative decree, is the capital of the Los Ríos province of Ecuador. Its population is cited around 153,000. It is bordered by two rivers, the San Pablo and the Caracol, which join to form the Babahoyo ...

. Franco retreated to Guayaquil, where he could count on the support of the Peruvian ships anchored in the Guayas River. He was, however, defeated once again on September 24, 1860, in the historic

Battle of Guayaquil The Battle of Guayaquil was the final and pivotal armed confrontation in a struggle for political control of Ecuador. The battle was fought on the outskirts of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador on September 22–24, 1860, among several factions clai ...

. Franco abandoned the country aboard the Ecuadorian schooner ''Cuatro de Julio'', and sought refuge in Peru. Shamed by his defeat, he never returned to Ecuador, and died in

, Peru, in March 1873.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Franco, Guillermo 1811 births 1873 deaths People from Guayaquil Ecuadorian generals Ecuadorian politicians