Rodrigo Borja
36th President of Ecuador
In office
10 August 1988 – 10 August 1992
Vice PresidentLuis Parodi Valverde (1988–1992)
Preceded byLeón Febres Cordero
Succeeded bySixto Durán Ballén
Personal details
Born19 June 1935 (1935-06-19) (age 88)
Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
Political partyDemocratic Left
Spouse
​
(m. 1966)​
Children4
Alma materCentral University of Ecuador

Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (born 19 June 1935)[1] is an Ecuadorian former politician who was President of Ecuador from 10 August 1988 to 10 August 1992.[2][3] He is also a descendant of the House of Borgia.

Life

Borja was born in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. He helped to found the Party of the Democratic Left, a socialist political party which quickly gained strength. He served several terms in Congress, leaving it in 1982. Borja first ran for President of Ecuador in 1978, coming in fourth place. He again ran for president in 1984, receiving the most votes in the first round, 36%, but he was defeated in the runoff. He succeeded in winning the 1988 presidential election.

He focused on Ecuador's economic problems during his presidency, and he increased collaboration with other countries in the Americas. He spent time with U.S. President George H. W. Bush on 22 and 23 July 1990, even playing tennis with him.[4][5] The two met again on 26 February 1992, at a drug policy conference.[6][7]

Like all Ecuadorian presidents, he was not allowed to seek a second term. After his presidency, he remained the leader of the Party of the Democratic Left. Reelection was allowed after a 1994 referendum and he ran for President in 1998, receiving 12% of the vote and coming in third place, and again ran for president in 2002, receiving 14% of the vote and fourth place.

It is claimed that he is a direct descendant of Pope Alexander VI through his son Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandia.[8]

Marriage and children

On 16 December 1966, in the city of Quito, he married Carmen Calisto. They had four children:[9]

  • Gabriela Borja Calisto
  • María del Carmen Borja Calisto
  • Rodrigo Borja Calisto
  • Verónica Borja Calisto

See also

References

  1. ↑ Macmillan General Reference Staff (1 October 1988). Latin American lives: selected biographies from the five-volume Encyclopedia of Latin American history and culture. Prentice Hall & IBD. p. 161. ISBN 9780028650609.
  2. ↑ Zarate, Roberto Ortiz de. "Ecuador Presidente de la República". Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Rodrigo Borja Cevallos". Explored (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Meetings with Foreigners, 1990" (PDF). The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. p. 18. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Remarks Following Discussions With President Rodrigo Borja Cevallos of Ecuador". The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. 23 July 1990. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Meetings with Foreigners, 1992" (PDF). The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. p. 7. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "The President's News Conference With the Drug Summit Participants in San Antonio". The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. 27 February 1992. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Jaime de Salazar y Acha (2010). "Boletín de la Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía" (PDF) (in Spanish). Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía. p. 17. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  9. ↑ Pérez Pimentel, Rodolfo. "Rodrigo Borja Cevallos". diccionariobiograficoecuador.com (in Spanish). Guayaquil: Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
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