Background
Leónidas Plaza Gutiérrez was born on 19 April 1864 in Guayaquil.
Leónidas Plaza Gutiérrez was born on 19 April 1864 in Guayaquil.
He first appeared on the political scene as an aide to (José) Eloy Alfaro in an unsuccessful Liberal uprising in 1884. Subsequently, Plaza spent a number of years abroad, engaging in insurrectional activities in El Salvador and Costa Rica and being named a general. Back in Ecuador by 1895, he supported Eloy Alfaro’s successful insurrection of that year.
Plaza was a member of the Alfaro government. Alfaro designated him as his successor as president in 1901, and he served until 1905, expanding the Liberal reforms Alfaro had started.
After Plaza left office, there was growing discontent with Eloy Alfaro’s attempts to continue to dominate the Liberal regime. This culminated with the lynching of ex-President Alfaro in January 1912.
Soon after Alfaro’s death. Leonidas Plaza was elected president again. After again leaving office, Leonidas Plaza continued to control the military until the revolution of July 1925, which resulted in his arrest and exile.