Ecuador: Trials with Democracy

Ecuador: Trials with Democracy

Ecuador is a country that, according to conservative human rights body, Freedom House, stands “at the threshold” of democracy, but not for the first time. The small Andean country has a long history of inconsistent democratic governments, interrupted by sporadic military juntas and authoritarian dictators. In comparison to a number of other Latin American countries, Ecuador boasts an almost stable, relatively-tranquil history, yet the legitimacy of its democracy has been under inconclusive attack, although it has strong and formidable defenders. Characterized by “open political competition and free elections, combined with episodic breaches in democratic procedures, and a limited commitment to democratic norms among economic and political elites,” the emergent governance has ebbed and flowed. This evaluation will highlight Ecuador’s democratic tendencies throughout the past century. Furthermore, based on scholar Michael Sodaro’s ‘conditions’ for democracy, this article will also analyze whether some of the “necessary” variables, such as elites committed to democracy, state institutions and national unity, among others, are present and have promoted good democratic governance.

An Attempt at Democracy

Beginning in the 1940s, democracy in Ecuador periodically surged and abated. The election of Carlos Alberto Arroyo del Río marked an attempt at democracy, though the legitimacy of the appointment was highly contested at the time. Arroyo del Río’s dictatorial tendencies, his failures in foreign policy (such as the loss of half of Ecuador’s territory in the Río Protocol with Peru), the increased repression, and the rise in cost of living in Ecuador were all elements that led to his toppling in the May 1944 Revolución Gloriosa, a movement “to put an end to the hateful tyranny of traitors…” (as proclaimed by the military of Guayaquil). The revolt was a movement of the people, most of whom were underrepresented students, workers, and women, accompanied by the lower sectors of the military. This movement represented one of the first democratic steps of the century, signifying a unity of the people, and what appeared to be a forceful commitment to change.

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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Sophia Weeks

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