Faustino Rayo

Who was Faustino Rayo?

Faustino Rayo was the assassin of President of Ecuador Gabriel Garcia Moreno, who was killed by the machete blows of Rayo and the revolver shots of his three conspirators on August 6, 1875, in Quito, Ecuador. Garcia Moreno twice served as President of his country and was assassinated just prior to beginning his third term. The president was noted for his conservatism, Roman Catholic religious perspective and commitment to promoting the fields of science and higher education within Latin America.

Many Liberals in Ecuador and throughout Latin America hated García Moreno; when he was elected a third time in 1875, it was considered to be his death warrant. Prior to their successful attempt, Rayo and his comrades had attempted multiple times to kill García Moreno. After election to a third term García Moreno wrote immediately to Pope Pius IX asking for his blessing before inauguration day on August 30:

I wish to obtain your blessing before that day, so that I may have the strength and light which I need so much in order to be unto the end a faithful son of our Redeemer, and a loyal and obedient servant of His Infallible Vicar. Now that the Masonic Lodges of the neighboring countries, instigated by Germany, are vomiting against me all sorts of atrocious insults and horrible calumnies, now that the Lodges are secretly arranging for my assassination, I have more need than ever of the divine protection so that I may live and die in defense of our holy religion and the beloved republic which I am called once more to rule.