Píllaro

Píllaro, also known as Santiago de Píllaro is an Ecuadorian city; cantonal head of the Píllaro canton, as well as the fourth largest and most populated city in the Province of Tungurahua. It is located at the center of the Inter-Andean Region of Ecuador, very close to the geometric center of the Ecuadorian territory; on the flanks of the eastern cordillera of the Andes, in the basin of the Patate river, at an altitude of 2803 meters above sea level and with an Andean climate of 15 °C on average.

At the 2010 census it had a population of 7,444, making it the 105th most populous city in the country. It is part of the Ambato metropolitan area, since its economic, social and commercial activity is strongly linked to Ambato, being a "dormitory city" for thousands of workers who travel to that city by land every day. The conglomerate is home to 489,537 inhabitants, and occupies the fifth position among the conurbations of Ecuador.

It was founded in 1570, by Antonio Clavijo: it has been destroyed several times by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The last of these earthquakes occurred on August 5, 1949, an earthquake with an epicenter in the sector known as Chacauco, in the neighboring Pelileo Canton; It affected the city almost in its entirety, but thanks to the tenacity of its inhabitants, it managed to rise again in less than two years. It is one of the most important administrative, economic, financial and commercial centers in the area. The main economic activities of the city are: agriculture, livestock and commerce.

Anthem

History

The first references regarding the inhabitants of Píllaro, according to Aquiles Pérez, mention settlements belonging to the Caras, who established the Yatchil partiality. The Quitus established their nuclei in Píllaro, Guapante and Tilituza. From the east came the Jíbaros, then the Incas arrived, who had to face great resistance from the native Pillareños. Pillaguazu is cited as its founding cacique, famous defender of the kingdom of Quito against the Inca conquest. By the year 1605, Píllaro was part of the corregimiento of Villa del Villar Don Pardo, corregimiento of Riobamba, together with Ambato and other towns. In 1754, it was part of the Latacunga corregimiento. The word Píllaro comes from the cayapa Pilla = Lightning and Ru = Hollow or Hondón, then Píllaro means: Lightning Basin. At the time of the Spanish conquest, Píllaro stands out as the chiefdom of Rumiñahui where he takes refuge to defend himself and attack the Spanish. For this reason, Rumiñahui and Píllaro are symbols of rebellion and the fight for freedom. In 1570, the Spanish Don Antonio de Clavijo founded the town of Píllaro, by special commission of the audience of Quito.

There are references to some indigenous uprisings during the colony due to the abuse of the Spanish for the disposition of communal lands that affected the natives, protests for the recruitment and merciless treatment of the Indians driven to the mines, the exaggerated collection of taxes and alcabalas and the establishment of tobacconists. The truth is that the warrior spirit of the Pillareños for justice and freedom has been confirmed. In the independence the participation of Píllaro was outstanding. Many young people enrolled in the liberation army and the support of the people was valuable. In the Republican Period, on July 25, 1851, by Supreme Decree signed in Latacunga, the Píllaro Canton was officially created, belonging to the province of Cotopaxi, which was later called León, being Supreme Chief, General José María Urbina, confirmed this creation. Píllaro has been an active part in the period of republican establishment, as evidenced by the military participation in the army of Urbina, García Moreno and Eloy Alfaro. Since 1861 the Province of Tungurahua is created and an enthusiastic period of progress for the canton begins.

Valverde's course

During colonial times, a Spaniard named Valverde was married to the daughter of a cacique, who was one of the leaders of what is now Píllaro. This Spaniard overnight turned from a poor man into a rich and wealthy individual, since the girl's father revealed to his son-in-law the place where General Rumiñahui hid the treasure of the Kingdom of Quito, from where he Valverde says he took out a large amount of gold and silver. This treasure would have served to pay the ransom of the Inca Atahualpa who was a prisoner in Cajamarca. When Atahualpa was executed, Rumiñahui decided to hide him in what is now the Llanganates National Park. Valverde returned to live in his native Spain and later addressed a manuscript to the King of Spain revealing the route to be followed to the location of the treasure. This manuscript, since that time, has been known as Valverde's Guide or Course, the same one that begins its 5-day journey in the city of Píllaro. From those days to the present, hundreds of researchers, scientists, explorers and treasure hunters have come to Píllaro to faithfully follow the Course and hope that luck will accompany them with the consequent discovery of the treasure.

Geography

It has a variable topography that goes from 2,270 m.s.n.m. up to 3800.m.s.n.m. Its main river is the Cutuchi, whose feeding network constitutes the rivers: Culache, Yurac or Blanco, Pumancuchi, Patoa, Nagsiche and Ambato (Pachanlica), Saquimalac, San Diego and Purgatorio, Tambuyacu, Aláquez and Yanayacu, Illuchi and Campadre Huayco. The Cutuchi river when passing through Píllaro takes the name of Culapachán and after receiving the Ambato river it takes the name of Patate. Already in the Píllaro canton, the Yanayacu-Guapante river is born from the Central mountain range and from the Pisayambo and Pucayarubo lagoons, on the eastern side of the Llanganates the Curaray river is born. To the east of Píllaro are the following lagoons: Miquiayambu, Quignayambu, Sindiyambu, Susuyambu, Yutuyambu. To the south are the lagoons of: Arlanga and Aquira; in Quimbana the Aluleo lagoon; to the west of Huicotango the Sumcocha and Tzanhuancocha lagoons, among other small ones. It has the privilege of having a multiplicity of micro-climates to the different existing ecological floors.

• Limits: North: by the canton Salcedo of the Province of Cotopaxi and the province of the Napo. This: with the Province of Napo. South: with the cantons Patate and Pelileo. West: with the canton Ambato.

• Climate: Its climate is varied by altitude; so, in moors and mountains it rains and snows frequently, the cold is intense. In plateaus or sub-weathers, rainfall is lower. Located in the Mesothermal Equator Region, the annual average is 13 °C to 14 °C.

Politics

Territorially, the city of Píllaro is organized into two urban parishes, while there are seven rural parishes with which it complements the total area of the Píllaro Canton. The term "parish" It is used in Ecuador to refer to territories within the municipal administrative division.

The city and canton of Píllaro, like other Ecuadorian towns, is governed by a municipality as provided in the Constitution of the Republic. The Gobierno Autónomo Decentralizado Municipal de Píllaro, is a sectional government entity that administers the canton autonomously from the central government. The municipality is organized by the separation of powers of an executive nature represented by the mayor, and another of a legislative nature made up of the members of the cantonal council.

The Municipality of Píllaro is governed mainly on the basis of what is stipulated in articles 253 and 264 of the Political Constitution of the Republic and in articles 1 and 16 of the Municipal Regime Law, which establishes functional autonomy, economic and administrative of the Entity.

City Hall

The executive power of the city is exercised by a citizen with the title of Mayor of the Píllaro Canton, who is elected by direct suffrage in a single electoral round without formulas or binomials in the municipal elections. The vice mayor is not chosen in the same way, since once the Cantonal Council is installed, a manager for that position will be chosen from among the mayors. The mayor and vice mayor hold office for four years, and in the case of the mayor, he has the option of immediate or successive re-election. The mayor is the highest representative of the municipality and has the casting vote in the cantonal council, while the vice mayor performs the functions of the mayor in a substitute manner while the incumbent mayor cannot exercise his functions.

The mayor has his own municipal administration cabinet through multiple advisory, support and operational level directorates. Those in charge of those municipal addresses are appointed by the mayor himself. Currently the Mayor of Píllaro is Francisco Elías Yanchatipán.

Cantonal Council

The legislative power of the city is exercised by the Píllaro Cantonal Council, which is a small unicameral parliament that is constituted as in the other cantons by the provision of article 253 of the National Political Constitution. In accordance with the provisions of the law, the number of council members proportionally represents the population of the canton.

Píllaro has five councilors, who are elected by suffrage (D'Hondt System) and last four years in office and may be reelected indefinitely. The mayor and vice mayor preside over the council in its sessions. When the cantonal council is newly installed for the first time, the members elect from among themselves a designated person for the position of vice mayor of the city.

Political Division

The canton is divided into parishes that can be urban or rural and are represented by the Parish Governments before the Mayor's Office of Píllaro. The city has two urban parishes:

• New City
• Píllaro

Tourism

The Diamond of Pillaro, symbolic party of the city.

• Laguna Pisayambo. It is located in the vicinity of the Llanganates National Park at 45 km. to the northeast of the canton, along the road leading to the parish of San José de Poaló, the access is easy and can be seen from the road itself. The lagoon of Pisayambo is a place for direct naturist tourism, but its channel has been altered, the lagoon is a modified natural reservoir. It can be done: hikes, observation of flora and fauna typical of moors, camping, etc.

• Quillán Community. It belongs to the parish of San Miguelito. It is a beautiful valley located in the Culapachán River basin, in the southwest part.

• Cerro Hermoso. It is part of the Llanganates National Park. Known, for some, as one of the most beautiful mountains in Ecuador. Known for being a site where indigenous worship ceremonies were held.

• Mirador De Huaynacuri. It is a viewpoint located 15 minutes from the center of the canton Píllaro. From here, you can admire a large extension of the canton. As we reach the top, we observe a landscape, where the attractions of the city are contemplated. When you arrive at the viewpoint, you can take camping.

• The hot springs of Guapante, which is south of the city of Píllaro about 15 minutes by car. All of his journey is chariot.

Transportation

Public transport is the main means of transport for the inhabitants of the city and its surroundings. The city has an expanding public bus service. The bus system is not extensive and is made up of few urban transport companies. The bus system fare is at least USD 0.30 (depends on the distance), with a 50% discount for priority groups (minors, seniors, disabled, among others).

A large part of the city streets are paved or paved, although some are worn and the rest of the streets are ballast, mainly in the new neighborhoods that are expanding on the outskirts of the city.

Important avenues

• Rumiñahui
• Bolívar
• Sucre
• Carlos Tamayo
• Carlos Contreras
• Florida
• Wilson Gómez

Culture

Education

The city has good infrastructure for education, both public and private. Public education in the city, as in the rest of the country, is free up to the university (third level) in accordance with the provisions of article 348 and ratified in articles 356 and 357 of the National Constitution. Several of the educational centers of the city have great prestige. The city is within the Sierra regime, so its classes begin the first days of September and after 200 days of classes they end in the month of July.

Festivities

• Cantonal parties: July 25, 1851 – Cantonization of Pillaro.

• Traditional parties: 1 to 6 January – The Diablada pillareña. Its origins date back to the time of the colony in which the indigenous disguised themselves as devils in repudiation of the imposition of the Catholic faith but also the physical, psychological, economic and moral mistreatment they received from the Spanish. Masks and costumes are the result of the artisanal work of the locals. Each day while the celebration lasts, you can appreciate the cots of different neighborhoods of the city.

Economy

Details of fruit vendor inside the popular market of Píllaro, Ecuador.

Píllaro is a city with extensive commercial activity. The main economic activity of the canton is livestock with a production that exceeds one hundred thousand liters per day, likewise the fertility of our lands give rise to a large production of vegetables, legumes, cereals and an extraordinary variety of fruits. Saddlery is another activity in which Galapagos-type saddles, jackets, reins, harnesses, girths, stirrups, pellones, guruperas, among others, are made.

Media

The city has a communication network in continuous development and modernization. In the city there are several means of communication such as written press, radio, television, telephone, Internet and postal services.

• Telephone: While the fixed telephony still remains with a regular growth, it has been greatly moved by the cell phone, both because of the enormous coverage it offers and the easy accessibility. There are 3 fixed telephony operators, CNT (public), TVCABLE and Claro (private) and four mobile phone operators, Movistar, Claro and Tuenti (private) and CNT (public).

• Radio: In the town there is a large number of national and local radio transmission systems, including provinces and neighboring cantons.

• Television means: Most channels are national, although local channels have recently been included. The analog blackout was established by December 31, 2019.

Sports

The Píllaro Cantonal Sports League is the governing body for sports in the entire Píllaro Canton and therefore its control authority is exercised in the city. The most popular sport in the city, as in the whole country, is soccer, being the sport with the greatest number of people. Currently, there is no active club from Pillar in Ecuadorian professional football. Being a small town at the time of the foundations of the great teams in the country, Píllaro lacks a symbolic team of the city.

The main sports venue for playing soccer is the Santiago De Píllaro Stadium. It is used mainly for soccer practice and has a capacity for 800 spectators. The stadium is the venue for different sporting events at the local level, as well as being the setting for various cultural events, especially musical concerts.

Rumiñahui

He was born in Huaynacuri de Píllaro, around 1482. He was the son of Huayna Cápac and Nary Ati. By maternal line his grandparents were Pillahuaso Ati the father, Cacique de Píllaro and Queen Choasanguil. His name means "stone eye". The National Congress in 1985 resolved that on December 1, he be remembered as an indigenous hero, defender of the Kingdom of Quito from the Spanish conquerors.

The Legend of "Los Llanganates"

After Atahualpa's death at the hands of the Spanish in Cajamarca-Peru, Rumiñahui undertook the defense of the "Kingdom of Quito". Within these actions he decides to hide the treasure that was going from Quito to pay Atahualpa's ransom in Los Llanganates, an inaccessible place.

There are many stories of expeditions in search of treasure that, starting from Píllaro, went to Los Llanganates and many of them were lost or succumbed to the ruggedness of the mountains or the inclemency of the páramo. They say the earth trembles and swallows them. There is a guide called "The path of Father Valverde".

Quito-Píllaro athletic post

In the year 1970 the Quito-Píllaro athletic post was inaugurated by students from the Central University of Ecuador united in the Association of Residents of Pillaro in Quito and it takes place during the Canton festivities. This race recreates the Inca chasquis that carried the mail. A bus leaves runners every certain distance (for example, 1 km), the person in the race takes the baton and hands it over to the runner in front (like a relay race). Once the bus has left the relays, it returns to pick up those who have already participated and goes ahead to drop off the following runners. Upon reaching the town of Salcedo, generally all the runners come together in a group to cross the city. The same as when arriving at Píllaro, a tour is made to the monument of General Rumiñahui located in the roundabout of the avenue of the same name where floral offerings are deposited, then they return to the Atrium of the church and the Municipal Palace, where they are pronounced unity speeches linked to the cantonization festivities. In the municipality they are received by the mayor and a snack is provided. The post lasts all day, there is no age restriction or athletic condition. The most virtuous athletes ask to be assigned more kilometers, they compensate for the delays, since they cover more kilometers in less time and generally take the most difficult parts such as the ascent of the chasqui, which passes next to the Cotopaxi volcano. Private cars also accompany the post and are in charge of dropping off and picking up their occupants.