gäbrēĕlˈ gärsēˈä mōrāˈnō, 1821–75, president of Ecuador (1861–65, 1869–75), b. Guayaquil. A man of fervent religious convictions, he gradually became obsessed with the idea of government dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. As president he promulgated new constitutions (1861, 1869) and signed (1862) a concordat with the church by which the civil power became the guarantor and executor of the church's independence and granted to it control over education. With the end of state patronage, inquisitional methods were restored. A storm of liberal opposition was vigorously suppressed. Between terms as president he retained his hold by installing puppets. He was reelected in 1869 and granted additional extravagant privileges to the clerics; he also took extraordinary powers for himself. He is remembered more for his strong views and personality than his ability as an administrator who put his country on a sound financial basis and introduced material reforms. He was assassinated.

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