Rosalía Arteaga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rosalía Arteaga Serrano de Fernández de Córdova
President of Ecuador
In office February 9, 1997 – February 11, 1997
Preceded by	Fabián Alarcón
Succeeded by	Fabián Alarcón

Born	December 5, 1956 Cuenca , Ecuador
Political party	Alfarista Radical Front

Rosalía Arteaga Serrano de Fernández de Córdova (born December 5, 1956) is an Ecuadorian politician who served as the country's first female president for only two days in 1997.

She was born in Cuenca, Ecuador. She became Vice President in 1996, following the election of Abdalá Bucaram as President. On February 6, 1997, however, President Bucaram was declared unfit to govern by Congress. Arteaga and congressional leader Fabián Alarcón became locked in a dispute over who should succeed Bucaram, as the constitution was vague on the issue. Initially, Alarcon was sworn in with the support of Congress. On February 9, however, Arteaga, who had insisted as vice-president she should become president, was sworn in instead as Ecuador's first female president. Two days later, however, on February 11, with the support of Congress and the army, Alarcon was sworn in again and Arteaga resigned.

Arteaga continued to clash with Alarcon and resigned from her post as vice-president in March 1998. She then ran for president in the elections that were held in May 1998, but received only 3% of the vote.

Arteaga is currently secretary-general of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, and a member of the editorial board of the Encyclopædia Britannica.