Ecuador–Spain relations

San Francisco de Quito, 1757

Ecuador and Spain share a long history since the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadores led by Francisco Pizarro in 1532. By 1534, Pizarro managed to overcome the Incan Empire (which extended from present day Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Chile) and claimed the territory for Spain.[1] In 1534, Spanish troops battled against General Rumiñahui and his army during the Battle of Mount Chimborazo in central Ecuador after Rumiñahui discovered the Spanish treachery and the murder of his half-brother Emperor Atahualpa. Rumiñahui burned down the secondary Inca capital (near present-day Quito) and hid the Treasure of the Llanganatis before the battle.[2]

In 1534, Spanish conquistadores, Sebastián de Belalcázar and Diego de Almagro founded the city of San Francisco de Quito in honor of Francisco Pizarro which was built on top of the ruins of the secondary Inca capital.[3] In 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was created and the territory of Ecuador was governed from its capital in Lima and administered through the Real Audiencia of Quito. In 1717, the Viceroyalty of New Granada was created with its capital in Bogotá and Ecuador was governed under the new viceroyalty.

On 10 August 1809, Ecuador was the first country in Spanish America to declare independence soon after Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in 1808.[4] The independence movement became known as the Luz de América. Immediately, the criollo rebels of Ecuador lacked the anticipated support for their cause and they returned power back to the crown authorities who became brutal and punished the rebels severely.

In 1822, armies led by Simón Bolívar and Antonio José de Sucre arrived to Ecuador and fought Spanish troops at the Battle of Pichincha near Quito which secured Ecuador's independence.[4] Ecuador soon became part of the Gran Colombia along with Colombia, Venezuela and Panama. Ecuador became an independent nation in May 1830.

Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid, 2021.

In 1840, Ecuador and Spain established diplomatic relations with the signing of a Treaty of Peace and Friendship between both nations.[5] In 1866, Ecuador declared war against Spain during the Chincha Islands War which also involved Bolivia, Chile and Peru.[5]

In 1936, Ecuadorian writer Demetrio Aguilera Malta (member of the Guayaquil Group) was in Spain when the Spanish Civil War broke out. Aguilera wrote about his experience during the war in his book titled Madrid: reportaje novelado de una retaguardia heroica.[6] In May 1980, Spanish King Juan Carlos I paid an official visit to Ecuador, his first and only visit to the country.[7]