Juan Pío Montúfar, Marqués de Selva Alegre

Other names/titles:
Gender: M
Ethnic origin: White

Biographical details

A member of the Quito noble family Montúfar y Larrea, father of Rosa Montúfar. He was Vice-President of the Quito junta from 1810-1812. He fled in February 1812 after charges that he was trying to crown himself as king. (Rodríguez, 144-150)

In November and December 1808 he led a conspiracy against the Spanish authorities that was would have been carried out in March 1809, but the plan was discovered in February 1809. The group continued to hold secret meetings in houses under the cover of family gatherings. Many of these took place at his own home and his daughter, Rosa Montúfar became a victim. (Monsalve, 36, 39)

On 19 August 1809 leading creoles rebelled against Count Ruiz de Castilla's audiencia, overthrew him and formed a junta led by Pío Montúfar. They declared loyalty to Ferdinand VII and gave safe passage to Ruiz de Castilla. (Lynch, 235-236) Several Spanish officials were imprisoned, among them the Colector de Rentas, Simón Sáenz, father of Manuela. The Junta lasted for a few days, despite some support; Cuenca, Popayán and Guayaquil declared against it leaving Montúfar isolated. In Guayaquil, those suspected of supporting the rebellion were persecuted; just being from Quito was sufficient to the imprisoned. Montúfar resigned and was imprisoned. (Monsalve, 41-43)

He was paraded through the streets of Quito on 24 March 1809. Manuela Sáenz is said to have witnessed this and the sight increased her support for the independence cause. (Carvajal, 43)