Vicente Ramón Roca Rodríguez (2 September 1792 – 23 February 1858) was President of Ecuador from 8 December 1845 to 15 October 1849 as a member of the Liberal Party after leading the March Revolution, alongside José Joaquín de Olmedo and Diego Noboa, overthrowing Juan José Flores. He ruled under the Constitution of 1845.
Biography
Early life
Roca was born on September 2, 1792, in Guayaquil. His father was Colonel Bernardo Roca and mother was Ignacia Rodríguez. Roca was educated at home. It is unknown if he completed high school and university. He was a merchant, having traveled as far as British Jamaica. He later served as chief of police in Guayaquil and held four terms as a representative and senator for the Republic of Ecuador. He was governor of the Guayas province for three terms, starting in 1836.
Spanish American wars of independence
Through participation in the Battle of Pichincha, Roca befriended Simón Bolívar and other prominent Gran Colombian politicians who acknowledged Roca for his service as administrator of the Municipal Revenues of Guayaquil. In the days preceding the separation of Gran Colombia, Roca fell out with Bolívar and his loyalist inner circle.
March Revolution (Ecuador)
Roca was a leader of the March Revolution, a revolt against the presidency of Juan José Flores that marked the start of an Ecuadorian nationalist period.
Flores eventually decided to negotiate with the provisional government. Flores proposed self-exile in Europe for a few years if the provisional government maintained his military rank, honors, salary, and lands. He requested retroactive pay and a stipend of 20 thousand pesos, equivalent to around $1 million.
Roca created an agricultural board, introduced juries, and organized the economy. However, government revenues peaked at just 854,435 pesos. This was significantly influenced by the mobilization of Colombian troops against Ecuador and Flores's expedition, a response to the Marcista revolutionaries' project to reclaim territory won by Colombia while Flores was in power. A Peace and Friendship Treaty was signed, which prevented conflict while leaving Ecuador's claim to this territory open.
Threat of reconquest
Flores wanted revenge for the March Revolution. With financial backing from the bankers of Queen Maria Christina of Spain, he purchased the steamships Monarca and Neptuno and the sailing ship Gleneig in London, hiring 3,000 Spanish, English, and Irish mercenaries.
On October 13, Ecuador received the news of Flores's actions and rewards he would receive from the Spanish government if he successfully regained power in Ecuador. This caused panic in Roca's government; Ecuador's army was put on war footing, with Flores's lands being sold. Years later, Flores denied intention of reconquest.
Scandals and life after presidency
Roca made enemies while serving in Municipal Revenues; he was accused by Francisco Tamaríz, Minister of Finance under Rocafuerte, of dubious deals which Roca distorted in the press. In 1851, after his party was defeated, he was exiled to Peru while impoverished. Roca worked at his cousin Agustín Roca's trading house upon returning to Guayaquil, where he died at the age of 66.