Battle of Guayaquil: Ecuadorian forces retake the port (1860)

The Battle of Guayaquil (1860) was the pivotal armed confrontation ending a struggle for political control of Ecuador. Forces under Gabriel García Moreno and Juan José Flores defeated Supreme Chief Guillermo Franco, who was backed by Peruvian forces. The battle concluded a series of skirmishes following President Francisco Robles' resignation, amidst Peruvian military pressure and territorial disputes.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Following President Francisco Robles' resignation in May 1859, Ecuador's control split among competing factions. Gabriel García Moreno established a provisional government in Quito, while General Guillermo Franco declared himself Supreme Chief of Guayas. Peruvian President Ramón Castilla blockaded the Gulf of Guayaquil to leverage the crisis for territorial gains, negotiating the Treaty of Mapasingue with Franco in January 1860.

Conflict. Accusing Franco of treason for signing the treaty with Peruvians, García Moreno allied with former enemy General Juan José Flores to attack Franco's forces. Supported by landowners and the church, García Moreno's army moved towards Guayaquil to retake the city and repel Peruvian occupation. Franco retreated to Guayaquil, relying on support from Peruvian vessels and men left by Castilla.

Aftermath. The civil war ended with the triumph of the Provisional Government's armies over Franco's troops. Two days after the capture, García Moreno ordered Franco's banner replaced with the Ecuadorian flag. The Treaty of Mapasingue was annulled by the Ecuadorian Congress in 1861 and the Peruvian Congress in 1863, citing it was signed by a political party chief.

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