Historical
Summary
Although
it still has
not been determined
who were the
first tribes
to inhabit
the area,
Gonzalez Suarez
suggests that
the tribes
that populated
the regions
of Guayaquil
and Manabi
belonged to
the same ethnographical
group, with
slight local
variations
in customs
and traditions.
According
to some historians,
the primative
inhabitants
of Machala
came from
Isla Puna,
attracted
by the fertility
of the land.
It has also
been suggested
that the Quiches
established
themselves
in present-day
Zaruma in
remote times.
If this was
the case,
they were
almost definitely
conquereed
by the Incas.
The
Inca Conquest
Along
the plains
of the valley
of Yunguilla
and some elevations
of the cordillera
of Saraguro
there are
some vestiges
of military
fortresses
whose construction
was ordered
by Tupac-Yupanquiwhen
he began his
conquest of
the Kingdom
of Quito.
It has been
suggested
that Huayna-Capac
was actually
born in the
present-day
province of
El Oro.
Nevertheless,
the Inca's
influence
over the these
villages was
not particularly
strong and
did
not succeeded
in changing
their customs
and traditions.
Moreover,
the Inca domination
did not last
very long
sue to the
arrival of
the Spanish.
The
Spanish Conquest
Tumbes
was a strategic
port for the
Spanish conquest
and converted
itself into
a port recieving
the Spanish
arriving from
Panama.
From Tumbes
the Spanish
penetrated
the province
of El Oro.
A group arrived
at a beach
in the province
naming it
Portovelo,
due to its
beauty according
to Christopher
Colombus.
In search
of a town
with a favourable
climate, they
discovered
the town of
Zaruma.
The
official founding
of the town
was carried
out by Captain
Alonso de
Mercadillo
(after the
foundation
of Loja in
1549) under
the name 'Villa
Real de Minas'.
When the inhabitants
requested
the villa
to be elevated
to town status,
the towns
of Cuenca
and Loja protested.
The establishment
of the town
took some
time and in
1595 it was
completed,
however, still
only with
the rights
and privileges
of Villa.
Its first
Mayor was
D. Lorenzo
de Figueroa.
Gold
Mines
Zaruma
was famous
for its gold
mines during
the colonial
period.
According
to historical
sources, in
the Sexmo
mine, a piece
of gold was
extracted
weighing three
pounds and
sent to the
King of Spain
as a gift.
Before the
arrival of
the Spanish,
the indigenous
ground quartz
in order to
obtain gold.
It is said
a great quantity
of gold was
taken from
the mines
by the indigenous
from Quinara
del Peru to
pay the rescue
of Atahualpa
and that the
cacique
buried it
in caves.
It's also
said that
some priests
in search
of gold discovered
the chinchona
plant (quinine)
used for the
treatment
of malaria,
an extremely
valued medicinal
plant.
In 1614, Antonio
Vasquez, wrote
'the Villa
of San Antonio
de Zaruma is
extremely
rich in gold
mines'.
The Indians
from Canar
were sent
to work in
the mines
by the Spanish.
From
1700 to 1800
the mines
were abandoned.
In 1876 Teodoro
Wolf carried
out research
on the mines
demonstrating
that the quartz
still contained
a high percentage
of gold and
silver. In
1880 the first
foreign company
was established
in London
for the exploitation
of the mines
in Portovelo:
the "Great
Zaruma Gold
Mining Co."
In 1886, the
first shipment
arrived in
London.
In the same
year a north
American company
was established
for the purpose
of the same
activity:
South American
Development
company.
Foundation
of Machala
Machala
was founded
in the 16th
century, in
the year 1573,
under the
jurisdiction
of the Puna
government,
which, was
under the
rule of Guayaquil.
Due to the
area's rich
agriculture
and terrains,
the population
grew rapidly.
During the
18th century
Machala was
an abundant
cocoa producer,
which determined
the concentration
of properties
into the hands
of large landowners.
Due to its
economic importance,
on 9th January
1783, the
parish of
Machala along
with the parish
of Pasaje
broke away
from the jurisdiction
of Puna and
on the 27th
March 1784
formed a new
governmental
branch.
Machala joined
the emancipation
movement and
many of its
men joined
Mariscal Sucre's
army in the
fight for
independence.
With Ecuador's
intergration
into Gran
Colombia,
Machala belonged
to the department
of Guayaquil
as a canton
along with
its own port,
Pila, today
known as Puertoi
Bolivar.
After
the dissolution
of Gran Colombia
in 1830, Machala
continued
as a canton
of Guayaquil
under the
government
of General
Juan Jose
Flores.
The National
Convention
of 23rd April
1884 issued
a new law
consecrating
the creation
of the province
of El Oro
with Machala
as its capital.
Machala
and the Liberal
Revolution
Before
the liberal
revolution
of 5th June
1895, on 2nd
June in the
city of Guayaquil
General Manuel
Serranose
declared himself
leader as
head of a
group of liberals
from Machala.
On 10th May
the town of
Machala was
taken; the
popular assembly
met the following
day and proclaiming
the supreme
rule of Eloy
Alfaro.
Peruvian
Invasion
On
5th July 1941
Peruvian troops
ivaded the
territory
with land,
sea and air
forces.
The Ecuadorian
forces were
inferior in
number and
were forced
to face a
Peruvian army
with some
23,000 men
with modern
arms.
The resistence
put up by
the Ecuadorian
forces was
heroic during
the first
few days,
although they
eventually
had to surrender
as they were
left isolated
and without
munitions.
The Peruvian
troops occupied
the province;
the cities
were subjected
to fierce
bombing and
violence.
Inhabitants
were forced
to flee to
other provinces
until the
hostilities
came to a
halt and the
Rio de Janeiro
Protocol was
signed on
29th January
1942 under
the presidency
of Doctor
Alberto Arroyo
del Rio.
Last Updated
22nd August
2006 (DLW)
