CARLOS JULIO AROSEMENA MONROY: BIOGRAPHY AND WORKS - HISTORY - 2024

Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy was an Ecuadorian politician who held numerous public positions, highlighting that of president for almost two years at the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century. Apart from this position, he was also vice president, defense minister and several times deputy of the nation.

Arosemena Monroy studied jurisprudence and came from a family with a political tradition, since her own father had also held the highest political position in Ecuador. One of her first cousins completes the family saga as president. She was a very popular politician.

He was characterized by having great social sensitivity, which led him to promote various laws to promote the rights of workers in his country. This led to the opposition of many national and international sectors, especially the US government.

A coup ended his presidential term, forcing him to leave Ecuador for a time. Upon his return, his convening power remained intact and in the 1990s he was again elected as the nation's deputy.

Biography of Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy

Early years

Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on August 24, 1919. His father was former president Arosemena Tola, so politics was present in his life since childhood.

The future politician developed his first years of study in his hometown. He attended primary school between the María Auxiliadora school and the Cristóbal Colón Salesians. Later he went to the National Institute to do high school, although he graduated from Vicente Rocafuerte, as the law of the time established.

University studies and first jobs

As with her early educational stages, Arosemena Monroy remained in Guayaquil during her university studies. She chose the career of Social and Political Sciences. Finally, she obtained the title of these disciplines, in addition to that of lawyer and a doctorate in Jurisprudence.

His first job was that of professor of Private International Law at the same University where he had studied. Later he joined the diplomatic career, being posted to Brazil in 1945 and to the United States in 1946.

Entry into politics

His first steps in politics were in 1952. As a member of the Velasquista Party (with a large popular component) he was elected a member of Congress. In that legislature, he was appointed president of the Chamber, a position he held until August of that year, when the president elected him as Minister of Defense.

However, this first stage did not last long. Arosemena decided to resign soon and returned to her private work.

Return to Congress

A few years later he repeated as a candidate for deputy for Guayas. He was elected in 1958 and carried out a strict opposition to the government of the time.

After a year as deputy, the Velasquista Party nominated him as a candidate for vice presidency, forming a tandem with Velasco Ibarra. This candidacy was the winner in the 1960 elections.

vice presidency

The Guayaquil politician began to exercise his new position as vice president on August 31, 1960. The chroniclers affirm that there was great expectation on the part of the people, since the two top leaders were supposed to be in favor of improving their conditions.

However, internal problems in the government did not take long to appear. A trip by Arosemena Monroy to the Soviet Union was widely criticized by her colleagues. Both the Council of Ministers and the president publicly showed their distancing from Arosemena.

The situation worsened so much that, on November 7, 1961, President Velasco Ibarra gave a self-coup, proclaiming himself the sole authority. His first decision was to jail the vice president and twelve other legislators.

Presidency

It was the people's reaction that turned the situation around. In just a couple of days, when the country seemed doomed to a civil war, Velasco Ibarra was evicted from the government. By decision of Congress, his replacement was Arosemena Monroy.

Despite the Chamber's appointment, a sector of the army did not agree with the appointment. The rapid action of other military personnel saved the new president from being overthrown within days of beginning his task.

However, the situation was far from calming down. The internal opposition accused Arosemena of not behaving with the dignity demanded by her position and, in addition, the Armed Forces asked that she break relations with Cuba and other socialist countries.

Arosemena saved that difficult moment, as well as the request by the conservatives that he be replaced, displaying great political ability.

Overthrow

He was not so lucky in the face of the next major crisis in the government. After an official visit to several American countries in the summer of 1962, events were precipitated.

The president gave a speech in July 1963 in which he affirmed that "the United States government exploits Latin America and Ecuador." The army took these words as an excuse to initiate a coup. The day after those words, on July 11, the rebel soldiers overthrew him and he had to go into exile to Panama.

Arosemena Monroy himself gave the key to this coup: “They were responding to the orders of a foreign power, mainly Mr. Bernbaum, ambassador of the United States of America; that is not a secret, they have said it, also pointing out that they were in the role of payments of the CIA ”.

Life after the presidency

His exile in the Central American country did not last long. The politician returned to Ecuador and began an opposition effort against the Military Junta that had taken power.

He was popular to such an extent that the military included a clause in the Constitution that they proclaimed to prevent him from running for other elections.

Deputy

Despite this, Arosemena never abandoned politics. She continued to attend conferences and talks, while continuing to work in the field of law.

Already in 1992 the situation in Ecuador allowed him to run again for political office. Thus, he was elected deputy for the Republican Union party, which led to his return to Congress. In 1996 he became a judge of the Supreme Court of Justice.

Death

Already quite old, he decided to retire. On March 5, 2004, he died in his hometown of Guayaquil.

Political works

All the laws promulgated or proposed by Arosemena Monroy had a marked progressive accent. Her work was always developed in defense of the weakest, being a great defender of public freedoms.

Education

Political scientists highlight his educational laws as some of the most important in his political career. Under his government, public education was promoted, creating the Comprehensive Approach Department.

Similarly, many new educational centers were built, both colleges and universities. He ran several literacy campaigns and was a champion of teachers' rights.

Labor laws

Among the labor legislation it approved is the introduction of 40 hours of work per week and the introduction of the fourteenth salary. On the other hand, it developed plans for the construction of social housing.

Infrastructures

He also emphasized the improvement of infrastructure that he considered essential for the development of Ecuador. These include the modernization of telecommunications and the road network. Lastly, during his government stage, the airline TAME was founded.

References

1. Aviles Pino, Efrén. Arosemena Monroy Dr. Carlos Julio. Obtained from encyclopediadelecuador.com
2. EcuRed. Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy. Obtained from ecured.cu
3. Saá B., J.Lorenzo. Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy. Obtained from trenandino.com
4. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy. Retrieved from britannica.com
5. Harding, Colin. Carlos Julio Arosemena. Retrieved from independent.co.uk
6. Lentz, Harris M. Heads of States and Governments Since 1945. Recovered from books.google.es
7. Ministry of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility. The 50 years of military coup d'état in Ecuador are remembered in Brazil. Obtained from cancilleria.gob.ec
8. US Library of Congress. Instability and Military Dominance, 1960-72. Retrieved from countrystudies.us