Gobernadores de la provincia del Cañar

The book "Governors of the Province of Cañar" is based on the duty of memory. The identity of people is forged by the foundation of their historical past. Telling documented history is a serious responsibility to present and future generations. This historical-literary work traces a journey that clears the little-known path of the province of Cañar, through its three phases: attempt, creation, and ratification of the provincial jurisdiction.

The book is structured into eight chapters. Chapter 1 reviews the background of the independence of the territories of the Province of Cuenca, the episode of the Battle of Verdeloma—its intrinsic value—and the end of the newly constituted Republic of Cuenca. It also covers the creation of the cantons of Cañar and Azogues under Azuay's jurisdiction, which lasted for over five decades until the creation of the Province of Azogues in 1880.

Chapter 2 recounts the proud stance of the people of Azogues in response to the ill-fated and hasty attempt by Tomás Cipriani de Mosquera, President of the United States of Colombia, to forcibly annex Ecuador to the North in 1863. It highlights the legitimate act of constituting the Province of the Andes and the appointment of Carlos Ordóñez Laso as Governor of the Province of the Andes during the interim presidency of Gabriel García Moreno in 1869.

Chapter 3 describes the historical context surrounding the creation of the Province of Azogues in 1880. It discusses the formation of the "Pro-Azogues Committee" and the petition by the Cantonal Council of Azogues to the Republic’s Congress to create a new province. It covers the Legislative Decree creating the "Province of Azogues" on November 3, 1880, and the execution order issued by General Ignacio de Veintimilla, President of Ecuador, on November 17, 1880. It also details the formation of the new province and its governors.

Chapter 4 narrates the 1883 Convention, its background and consequences, and the ratification of the Province of Azogues under the Territorial Division Law of April 23, 1884, renaming it the Province of Cañar with Azogues as its capital. It outlines a timeline of governors representing constitutional governments, civil dictatorships, interim regimes, and military dictatorships until 1979.

Chapter 5 describes the return to constitutional rule after nearly a decade of military dictatorship, detailing the governors who represented democratic regimes and the emergence of women in the role of Governor of Cañar.

Chapter 6 highlights the governments of recent years and the governors who represented them.

Chapter 7 details the historical moments of acquiring and later constructing the Governor's Office building in Cañar and its main contributors.

Chapter 8 presents the conclusion, featuring the poem Historia Patria by Emilio Abad Aguilar (1893) and the epic composition Poema Bicentenario 200, which captures the historical milestones of Ecuador's independence.

The book "Governors of the Province of Cañar" is a faithful testament to documented history, opening its pages to new questions and potential historical-academic contributions.