20231210 – Manta, Ecuador
At the town square, we saw the statue and pictures of a general, Al Faro, who seems like a controversial figure of the past. In his monument, he is labeled as the father of liberalism in Ecuador. We were told that he moved away from religion to secularism, provided many liberties to women, boosted education, and gave importance to independence. Due to his distance from religion, he was not accepted widely by the ruling elites and the religious establishment. But a couple of guides said people nowadays started appreciating him again, understanding what he tried to do in the 1920s.
Read More