1827 Guayaquil uprising

The Spanish-American wars of independence that began around 1810 permeated emancipatory ideas in Guayaquil society, which developed an independence movement that concluded with the taking of power in the city on October 9, 1820.[1] A provisional civil and military government was formed, as well as an army to ensure and preserve the independent status against the troops loyal to the Spanish Crown. The Free Province of Guayaquil emerged after the proclamation of the Reglamento Provisorio de Gobierno (provisional constitution) on November 11 of that year as an independent state, which was not recognized during the war period.[2] The Guayaquil army, known as the Protective Division of Quito, began a military campaign to achieve the independence of the other territories of the former Presidency of Quito.

Following a victory in the battle of Camino Real, the Protective Division advanced rapidly through the inter-Andean alley towards the north but defeat in the first battle of Huachi forced a withdrawal back to the coast. Simón Bolívar wanted to ensure the independence of the newly created Republic of Colombia (known as Gran Colombia) by sending a division of his army from New Granada to Guayaquil to renew the attack on the royalists entrenched in the Quito mountains. The Colombian army, commanded by Antonio José de Sucre, merged with the Guayaquil troops, with certain Peruvian and River Plate elements, initiated the so-called Campaign of the South that concluded with the independence victory at the battle of Pichincha on May 24, 1822.

The intention of the Guayaquil government board was to form a new state from the former Presidency of Quito. However, the city of Cuenca decided to annex itself to Gran Colombia on April 11, 1822; and the Quito authorities, after the battle of Pichincha, also made the decision to join the Colombian nation on Sucre's suggestion on May 29. The Free Province of Guayaquil, which had suffered many casualties in its army due to the help given in the Southern Campaign, decided to remain autonomous from any other state.

In the city of Guayaquil, there were three factions within the population and its authorities; there were those who preferred an annexation to Colombia, while others saw it more favorably for the territory to be part of Peru, and lastly, those who wanted the province to remain independent and autonomous, among whom were José Joaquín de Olmedo and other members of the Government Board. Its status as the main port on the Pacific coast and its rapid commercial growth made Peruvian claims manifest through General José de San Martín. Simón Bolívar, aware of the Peruvian advance, intended to meet in Guayaquil with San Martín to determine his situation. However, Bolívar went ahead and entered Guayaquil on July 11 with an army of three thousand soldiers, forcing the resignation of the Governing Board and proclaiming himself dictator. The interview between Bolívar and San Martín took place on July 26, and dealt with other issues with Peruvian disadvantage in claiming Guayaquil territory. Finally, on July 31, 1822, Bolívar formally decreed the annexation of the occupied Free Province of Guayaquil into Gran Colombia.

The Republic of Colombia (historically known as Gran Colombia to differentiate it from the current republic of the same name) was formally established with the merger of Venezuela and Nueva Granada in the Congress of Angostura in 1819, which drafted the Fundamental Law of the Republic, ratified by the Congress of Cúcuta on July 12, 1821, under the official name of the Constitution of the Republic of Colombia. Initially, the Gran Colombian territory included only Venezuela and New Granada, but Panama was incorporated in 1821, while Cuenca, Quito and Guayaquil were incorporated in 1822. On June 25, 1824, the Senate and the House of Representatives promulgated the Law of Territorial Division of the Republic which divided the Colombian territory into twelve departments grouped into three districts. Each department was subdivided into several provinces, and these in turn into several cantons.

With the law of 1824, the department of Guayaquil was divided into two provinces: Guayaquil and Manabí. The province of Guayaquil was divided into the cantons of Guayaquil, Daule, Babahoyo, Baba, Punta de Santa Elena and Machala, and the province of Manabí was divided into the cantons of Portoviejo, Jipijapa, and Montecristi. The cities aspired to regain some control over the rural territory, they had held for much of the Colony and lost during the Cadiz regime; however, the creation of the 1824 law established a municipality in each canton head. Several parts of the country were dissatisfied with this provision.

The wars of the Colombian State were supported financially by various taxes and forced contributions. In the municipalities, they opposed the figure of the intendente, who was subject to the central executive power and regulated fiscal resources.[3] The population was opposed to direct contributions falling on owners and professionals. The protests raised in various parts of Colombia caused the rate to be replaced in 1826 by the poll tax, a tax levied on all men between 14 and 60 years of age;[4] This tax was only in force for two years due to the refusal of the general population to pay it.[4]

La Cosiata, also known as the "Morrocoyes revolution", broke out in the city of Valencia in Venezuela, led by General José Antonio Páez on April 30, 1826. Several Venezuelan municipalities rebelled in favor of autonomy from the Colombian government, and proclaimed Páez as civil and military chief. This event laid the foundations for the later separation of Venezuela from Gran Colombia.

By the beginning of 1825, Peru had not consolidated its independence and there were still redoubts loyal to the Spanish Crown. Simón Bolívar was dictator of Peru, a position that was estimated to be close to being replaced by the election of a purely Peruvian government and that would lead to the restoration of the Peruvian constitution of 1823; however, the Peruvian Congress decided to extend the Bolivarian dictatorship on February 10, and a month later, on March 10, it ceased its functions by its own decision.