Guillermo Franco

Who was Guillermo Franco?

Guillermo Franco was an Ecuadorian general.

From a young age, Franco was interested in becoming a military man. He could not participate in the Revolution of October 9, 1820 due to his young age, but soon thereafter enrolled at the Nautical School founded by Admiral Illingworth. On August 31, 1828, next to José María Urvina, Francisco Robles, Luis de Tola and several others, under the command of Captain Tomás Carlos Wright, had an exceptional participation in the Battle of Punta Malpelo.

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 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, 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 territorial dispute of 1857-1860, additionally convincing Castilla to back him against García Moreno.