This site is intended to shed light on the important Church-State issue that dominated the political and social life of nineteenth-century Ecuador and the role that Dr. Francisco Xavier Martinez Aguirre played in affecting the outcome of this issue -in his capacity as one of the closest collaborators of president Eloy Alfaro– to the benefit of the people of Ecuador. Eloy Alfaro himself is the primary actor in this drama so considerable space is devoted to coverage of his efforts, achievements and character. Another actor was clear across the world -on another continent- in Rome, Italy.
Ecuador was made a Colony of Spain after the Spanish conquest in the mid 1500’s. Unlike the experience in Colonial North America, Colonial South America was not a haven for those seeking religious freedom; there was a Spanish Inquisition in … Continue reading
A concordat is a legal agreement – often characterized as a treaty – between the Vatican under the Roman Catholic Pope and a sovereign nation-state. Concordats date back to the early middle ages and continue in some localities till the … Continue reading
Historical and Biographical Background Dr. Francisco X. Martinez (1850-1917) was a prominent Ecuadorian Surgeon but he also spoke out on public issues confronting Ecuadorian Culture in his times and in later life he became a prominent Statesman. When he was … Continue reading