Ayora, Isidro

He studied at a Catholic school in his hometown, then studied the humanities and philology at the prestigious Colegio Bernardo Valdivieso in Loja. He graduated from the Medical Faculty of the Central University of Ecuador in Quito . In 1905 he was awarded the degree of doctor of medicine.

After graduation, he received a government scholarship to continue his studies in Europe. He studied gynecology and obstetrics at the University of Berlin , trained at the Royal Women's Hospital and the obstetric school in Dresden under the guidance of the famous German gynecologist K. Leopold .

In 1909 he returned to Ecuador, where he was appointed professor of obstetrics at the Central University of Ecuador in Quito and director of the women's hospital, which now bears his name. In 1917, he was elected Dean of the Medical Faculty, and in 1925, Rector of the Central University of Ecuador. From 1924 he was chairman of the Ecuadorian Red Cross movement.

On April 17, 1926, the military junta, as a result of the Ecuadorian July revolution, led him to the office of the president (in 1929 he was elected at the elections). From April 3, 1926 to August 24, 1931, he was president with broad powers, which in fact made him a dictator.

The policy of I. Ayora was aimed at centralizing the country and restoring controllability. He restricted press freedom, despite numerous media protests. I returned from exile a number of loyal political figures. Political opponents were exiled to hard-to-reach areas of the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands . The leaders of the labor movement and the socialist party of Ecuador, who spoke out against the government on November 15, 1926, also became victims of repression.

He conducted a reform of public finances, supported a tight banking policy. In the next two years of I. Ayora’s reign, his government reorganized and transformed many government institutions that still function in the Ecuadorian political system, including: the Prosecutor General’s Office, state courts, the government revenue and assets directorate, government procurement, a standing budget commission, customs committee, pension fund, etc.

In general, the goals of the July revolution were partially achieved, but most social problems were not resolved and not eliminated. Against the background of the Great Depression , the level of poverty increased, exports and cocoa production declined. In such circumstances, the economic crisis I. Ayora in August 1931, lost the support of the military.

After leaving the presidency, he returned to teaching. He lived in the United States. After returning to Ecuador, he worked again in his private clinic and in 1957 again headed the state obstetric hospital in Quito.

In 1955, the Free University of Berlin awarded him an honorary doctoral degree.

• The city of Puerto Ayora , located on the southern coast of the island of Santa Cruz , part of the Galapagos Islands , is named after him.
• In Ecuador, people call the coins Ayuro , which he introduced into circulation during his reign.

• Isidro Ayora Cueva (isp.)