| León Febres Cordero | |
|---|---|
| Febres-Cordero in 1985 | |
| President of Ecuador | |
| In office 10 August 1984 – 10 August 1988 |
|
| Preceded by | Osvaldo Hurtado |
| Succeeded by | Rodrigo Borja |
| Mayor of Guayaquil | |
| In office August 10, 1992 – August 10, 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Harry Soria Lamán |
| Succeeded by | Jaime Nebot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 March 1931 Guayaquil |
| Died | 15 December 2008 (aged 77) Guayaquil |
| Political party | Social Christian Party |
| Signature | |
León Esteban Febres-Cordero Ribadeneyra (9 March 1931 – 15 December 2008) was President of Ecuador for a four-year term from 10 August 1984 to 10 August 1988. During his Presidency he sought to introduce market-oriented reforms, and also led a security crackdown on a guerilla group, ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!.[1].[2]
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Febres-Cordero was born to a well-to-do Guayaquil family on 9 March 1931. His father sent him to study in the United States, where he first attended Charlotte Hall Military Academy in Maryland, then Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania for high school, and then graduated as an engineer from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.[3] Upon his return to Guayaquil, Febres-Cordero entered business, dealing variously in paper, electrical parts, chemicals and textiles. Eventually he became an executive in the Noboa Group, a large agribusiness.[3]
Febres-Cordero was first married to Eugenia Cordovez, and they had four daughters.[4][3] Later he married Cruz Maria Massu, but they had no children.[4] During the time he was President many groups of guerrilla movements came to life, one of them was "Alfaro Vive". It is believed that Febres Cordero ordered the killings of members of this group.
A smoker, he died aged 77 in Guayaquil, on 15 December 2008 at 4:30pm, of lung cancer and emphysema.[4]
The Febres Cordero government promoted a conservative economic policy. While some praised Febres Cordero's economic policies, they became largely unpopular with most Ecuadorians. Several of his ministers were accused of corruption. His Finance Minister, Alberto Dahik, was impeached by Congress.[5]
Febres Cordero, a close ally of US President Ronald Reagan, was sharply criticized for an increase in human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings.[6] Current President Rafael Correa established a truth commission to investigate human rights violations, particularly those that occurred during Febres Cordero's administration.
In 1987 Febres Cordero was kidnapped for 11 hours[7] by members of the air force demanding the freedom of General Frank Vargas Pazzos, who had been imprisoned after leading two uprisings in March 1986, aimed at toppling the Minister of Defense. Congress approved a resolution granting Vargas amnesty, but Febres Cordero refused to publish the resolution, thus denying it the force of law. It was only after his January 1987 kidnapping that he signed the amnesty and released Vargas.[5]
Later he became the mayor of Guayaquil for two terms (1992–2000)[4] and then ran successfully for a seat in Congress. He was a member of the centre-right Social Christian Party.
| Preceded by Osvaldo Hurtado |
President of Ecuador 1984–1988 |
Succeeded by Rodrigo Borja |