Independence of Guayaquil in Ecuador ― Date, History, and Details
Independence of Guayaquil in Ecuador may be something you want to learn more about, and we want to help with that.
Let's dive deeper into learning more about the history of Independence of Guayaquil in Ecuador and why people celebrate or observe it.
History of Independence of Guayaquil in Ecuador and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
On 9 October 1820, Guayaquil was declared a free port by José Joaquín de Olmedo. The city became a point of contention between the governments of Spain, Peru and Ecuador and changed hands several times before being finally ceded to Ecuador in 1860 as part of a border dispute settlement.
During the first years of Ecuadorian independence, Guayaquil was a major player in the country’s political and economic life. However, the city’s fortunes declined after the rise of Quito as the country’s capital in the mid-19th century.
Guayaquil was Ecuador’s main port and its most important commercial center until the 1960s, when the deepwater port of Manta was built. The construction of the Guayas River Bridge in the early 1970s connecting Guayaquil with Durán marks the beginning of a new era of commercial and industrial growth for the city.