Richelieu Levoyer

Richelieu Artieda Levoyer (June 17, 1930) is a General and politician of the Republic of Ecuador. He is the son of painter Jorge Levoyer and educator Maria Delia Artieda.

Levoyer was the Southern Front Commander during the Paquisha War. He later served as Government Minister where he deployed a systematic plan for the destruction of prisons where human rights were being violated. He also proposed the "Return to the Constitution Plan" that ended the 1976–1979 dictatorship. He served as Professor and then Director of the centers of Ecuadorian military studies. He became Director of the School for Improvement of the Ecuadorian Army. He led the creation of the National Institute of Advanced Studies. He served as Sub-secretary of Industries focused on developing small business.

Military education
He studied at the "Eloy Alfaro" Military School. Then he went to specialized courses in theSchool of the Americas, Panama. He attended the Staff Study Centre of the Brazilian Army. He enrolled at the Inter-American Defense College in the United States. He attended theWar Academy.

Military leader
Levoyer was the Southern Front Commander during the Paquisha War between Ecuador and Peru in 1981 where he led 25,000 soldiers. César Alarcón described his role in the war, saying:

"He displayed an intense work in defense of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ecuador in the Amazonia compared with the surrender of whom on October 26, 1998 subjected our country to the Peruvian claims imposed by force through the null Rio de Janeiro Protocol of January 29, 1942."

Political career
As Minister of Government (1976), Levoyer organized a political dialogue bringing together popular organizations and new political tendencies. As a result indigenous people for the first time entered the Carondelet Palace (seat of the Presidency), and later formed the organization known as CONAIE).

As a result of the dialogue, Levoyer announced the "State Law Restructuring Plan". First, Ecuadorian people would choose a Constitution. The new constitution was passed in 1978. Besides, it had been promulgated an Electoral Law and other on Political Parties.

The Ecuadorian right wing sought to have Levoyer removed from office. They lacked the power to oust him from the miliary and instead pushed to have him assigned to the Ecuadorian embassy in the United States.

Legislator
He was elected Member of the National Congress (1984–1988). He became the driving force behind the Ecuadorian presence in Antarctica and created and the Ecuadorian Antarctic Program. He also led the passage of two laws honoring the soldiers of the wars of 1941 and 1981.

Americas
He served as president of the Military Organization for Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean (OMIDELAC). This organization played an important role in promoting democratic systems in Latin America, opposing the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet of Chile. OMIDELAC was invited as an election observer in several Latin American countries.

He is currently a member of Fundación "Eloy Alfaro" de Estudios Geopolíticos y Estratégicos(FEGES).

Philosophy
He said, "If you want to make a major change in the country, power must be obtained, but not getting it for itself −what would be simple egotism and ambition−, but to change things, and once installed there, and with the support of a unpolluted reputation earned day by day, then, and only then, take on any real and profound change that will be possible with the support of public consensus, with which we will have an undoubted success and beneficial to the poorest of our country."