By: Luis Carrion Mora
Two natural phenomena that occurred in the province of Loja in the sixties, the lack of rain began in the years 68 and 69 and the earthquake of 1970 further exacerbated the problem. In the first case, agricultural production was scarce, no one planted because everything was dry, the pastures for livestock worsened. Endless columns of cattle were observed, practically malnourished. In that state, businessmen risking their savings bought these animals to take them to the East.
In the second case, it was 11 p.m. on December 10, a loud noise came, the earth immediately began to shake, many houses fell to the ground, the walls of my home collapsed where I lived with my two children and my wife, we moved forward. to run out the back door and save ourselves from dying. At that time I was a teacher and I lived through the episode of the earthquake, the residents slept on the field since the earth shook for forty days, the panic and terror was a nightmare, they prayed every night. When it started to rain, he rested in the corridors, the ground shook and he fell asleep in the patio, outside the house.
Representation of scene about the 1970 earthquake. Photo generated by AI.
In this series of tragic events, entire families began to leave their homes and wander around on Sundays requesting charity, carrying small animals, waiting for a vehicle to take them to other places. I narrate this series of events because I lived them.
I received the second part of this story from the first inhabitants of Pedro Vicente Maldonado and some colleagues I met along the way. Together with Atty. Vicente Guerrero Celi, we carried out academic activities at the Center Associated with the Private Technical University of Loja that operated in Pedro Vicente Maldonado and the second time I visited this canton at its anniversary celebrations on behalf of the Provincial Council with the participation of the dance group and the Chamber choir belonging to this institution. At this time I was able to observe in the parade agricultural and livestock cooperatives whose name was the majority of the cantons of the province of Loja.
These scenes had been seen by the engineer Luis Freire Poma, at that time his father, Major Luis Freire del Castillo, hunted with a distinguished Celican lady, Mrs. Orfa Poma Martínez was the highest military authority of the Province of Loja and upon learning of the drama, and moved by these events, he immediately ordered that the military vehicles pick up the people who suffered the onslaught of nature and take them to Quito to shelter them in the Rumiñahui barracks in the capital, until these circumstances were corrected. 15 days or perhaps more passed, The problem was exacerbated by several factors in the country’s economy.
Engineer Freire, as an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, knew the wide region of the northwest of the Province of Pichincha. He was also in favor of the fact that access to the sea was essential for the capital of the republic, one of the great dreams of Pedro Vicente Maldonado. , a great scientist, astronomer, topographer, native of Colta, Riobamba, main collaborator in the French Geodetic Mission.
Portrait of Pedro Vicente Maldonado by Enrique Gomezjurado.
All these parameters led the engineer Freira to make the decision to take them to the best place that would guarantee their residence and fertile lands for their agriculture and livestock, but this whole project was yet to be done, the northern western part of Pichincha was a jungle, inhospitable, but It would guarantee them ownership of the land so that they could work it. The decision was made and they boarded the helicopters heading west.
After 30 minutes the heliport landed on timber, people disembarked and were able to see lush vegetation in their surroundings, and to do so they carried all kinds of tools; axes, machetes, crowbars, food, medicine for several months, zinc sheets, medications, supplies to condition a roof, the promoter of this adventure was with them for several days, then returned to the capital. After two weeks he returned with many food rations, but he did not wait for the reactions of the settlers wanting to return to their Loja of yesteryear, they said “Although without eating we were better off in our beloved Loja.” Mr. Freire told them, “I’m going to give them another deadline, I’ll return after a month to take them, but others will come.”
Stage representation in the Pedro Vicente Maldonado canton. Photo generated by AI.
He returned a month later, but the reaction was different, everywhere you could see crops of corn, bananas, coffee, sugar cane, they welcomed him with applause. The inhabitants persevering in the search for their progress improved their living conditions and the population had increased with several countrymen, most of the cantons of Loja, having organized themselves into agricultural and livestock cooperatives. Meanwhile, the vehicles arrived from the canton “Los Bancos” and the living system of the inhabitants improved, until the Plenary of the Permanent Commissions issued the Law of Creation of the Pedro Vicente Maldonado canton on January 15, 1992, the law was promulgated. Law on January 24 of the same year and the Official Registry No. 862 was published on January 28, 1992, since that date they have passed through the Mayor’s Office with the work of Loja merits such as Engineer Walter Fabricio Ambuludí Bustamante, Dr. Nelsón Largo Machuca, Dr. Francisco Cueva Sarango, Dr. Fredy Arrobo Arrobo, current Mayor and engineer Fabricio Ambuludí two consecutive terms, grandson of a Lojano and finally the first Lojano councilor, a native of Celica, Mr. Gilberto Jumbo, survives, like others distinguished, receive the tribute from the Municipality of Celica on the anniversary of cantonization.
Representation of Lojanos waiting for supplies in the Vicente Maldonado canton. Photo generated by AI.
I take this opportunity to ask the mayor and the Councilors to designate an avenue with the name of the “LOJANO MIGRANT”, since the flag of Loja flies on November 18 in the four cardinal points due to the presence of prestigious Loja residents who long for to his homeland and that the “ALMA LOJANA” corridor encourages him to continue succeeding.
The displacement of our compatriots to the east will be a special chapter, who were not daunted by adversity and who only perseverance, effort and work allowed them to see their goals fulfilled in other horizons…
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