- Guadalupe Larriva
Guadalupe Larriva (Cuenca,
July 28 ,1956 -Manta ,January 24 2007 ) was anEcuador ian politician. She was the head of theEcuadorian Socialist Party-Broad Front (list 17), as well as the country'sDefense Minister under PresidentRafael Correa . A former university professor, she was also the first civilian in 25 years, and the first female in Ecuador's history to hold the post.Larriva was killed near
Manta Air Base in a helicopter crash onJanuary 24 ,2007 20:23hEcuador ian time ["Trágica muerte de ministra Larriva, su hija y 5 militares", eluniverso.com,25 January ,2007 ] , when 2Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters [ [http://www.mercuriomanta.com/sistema.php?name=noticias&file=print&sid=31920 "Ecuador desestima atentado en choque aéreo"] , mercuriomanta.com, 25 January 2007] of the "Aviación del Ejército Nº 43" collided during a night training. She died only nine days after being handed her portfolio as defense minister. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16797397/ "Ecuador defense minister killed in air crash"] , msnbc.com, 24 January 2007. ] [ [http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-ecuador-minister.html "Ecuador's Defense Minister Killed in Air Collision"] , nytimes.com, 24 January 2007.] Two days earlier the defense minister had announced that Ecuador would not renew its contract with theUnited States Armed Forces which allows US troops to be stationed in and operate fromManta Air Base . [ [http://www.eldiario.com.ec/noticias-manabi-ecuador/23055 "Manta: La base, arma de lucha y entorno de su muerte"] , eldiario.com, 25 January 2007.]All on board the 2 helicopters, including Larriva's 17-year-old daughter Claudia Ávila and 5 Army officers (Tnte. Crnel. Marco Gortaire Padovani, Cap. Celso Hugo Acosta, Cap. Byron Iván Zurita Basantes, Cap. Richard Marcelo Jurado Gallardo, Tnte. Luis Milton Herrera Espín) [ [http://www.diario-extra.com/html/noticias.asp?codigo=20070126175242 "Hombres del aire perecieron"] , diario-extra.com,
26 January ,2007 . ] died in the crash.After the death of Larriva, Rafael Correa promised to appoint another woman to the position of Defense Minister. He fulfilled that promise on
January 30 ,2007 when he appointedLorena Escudero to replace her. Escudero is also from Cuenca and was also a university professor. [ [http://english.people.com.cn/200701/31/eng20070131_346328.html "Ecuador names second female defense chief"] , english.people/com.cn,30 January ,2007 .]References
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