Today marks the twenty year anniversary of the start of the most recent war between Ecuador and Peru in 1995. 

Last weekend we drove to Girón to see the countryside, accompanied by six friends that were all visiting Ecuador.  We had originally expected a trip to the waterfall in Girón to be the highlight, but instead we were treated with a fascinating history lesson of the wars between Ecuador and Peru. Our initial stop was at a monument commemorating the Battle of Tarqui, where troops from Peru and Gran Colombia fought in 1829. At the time, Ecuador was part of a triad with Colombia and Venezuela. Peru believed that Guayaquil and Cuenca both belonged to Peru, because their then-president (José de la Mar) was born in Cuenca. Gran Colombia emerged as victors and retook Guayaquil back from Peru. Otherwise parts of what is now the Azuay state in Ecuador would have been part of Peru. Ecuador emerged as a separate nation a year after the Battle of Tarqui.

We then stopped at the Casa de los Tratados Museo Histórico Militar, which is Girón’s focal point, and where the peace treaty between Gran Colombia and Peru was signed after the Battle of Tarqui. The treaty of 1995, after the last Ecuador-Peru was was also signed here. Displayed were portraits of the war heroes, long muskets, pistols, army boots, and bayonets. What was surprising was seeing the graphic depiction of how the borders of Ecuador have shrunk over time. 

Vic was with us, and seemed such a good fit for the old Ecuadorian soldier’s uniform that the museuym staff had him wear it and pose for photographs.