General Larrea Alba, who more than thirty years ago was briefly provisional President of Ecuador, presents a fine and useful study of an important event of the Alfaro era: the revolution by which Alfaro toppled the constitutional government of Liberal President Lizardo García.
The revolution was limited to the smallest provinces, practically all of the outstanding Liberals remained faithful to the Government, and despite repeated defections in the ranks of the army, the Constitutional troops outnumbered the revolutionaries. But lack of leadership on the part of the President, lack of cooperation between the commanders, lack of real decision to fight to the last for law and order, and the subversion of junior officials which provoked defections in critical moments made possible the rapid triumph of the Alfarista revolt.
The book gives a well written account of the military operations and the political background of the revolution. Though lacking a polemical intent, it is a serious indictment of Alfarismo.
