ECHEANDIA, Manuel (aychayande'ah), South American statesman, born in Guaranda, Ecuador, in 1783; died in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1850. He went to Spain in 1789 and entered the College of Vergara. He became clerk in the royal treasury at Caracas in 1800, and by successive promotions rose to chief clerk in 1810, but resigned in that year to join the revolutionists. He served the republic in many important positions till 1814, when he was comptroller of the treasury. The disasters of that year obliged him to emigrate with the army, and he served in the battles, which followed.

He became captain of the guard of Cartagena, and afterward adjutantmajor. In 1815 the republicans were obliged to surrender Cartagena, and Echeandia went to the West Indies to join the expedition preparing to invade Venezuela. He arrived too late, but followed with supplies in 1816. Hearing of the disasters, which had befallen the invaders, he stopped at the Island of Curazao, where he suffered from a long sickness and the privations of extreme poverty, the Spaniards having confiscated his possessions in Venezuela. He rejoined the republican army in Guayana in 1818, was made commissary general, and accompanied the army of Bolivar in the victorious campaign of 1819, becoming quartermaster and afterward colonel. He took an active part in the organization of the treasury of Venezuela in 1830, and in the passage of fiscal laws. In 1842 the government accorded him a pension in consideration of his important services.