Carlos Freile Zaldumbide

Carlos Freile Zaldumbide (1851-1928) was an Ecuadorian politician, who served two terms as acting President of Ecuador.

He came from an aristocratic Quiteño family. He was the fourth son of Juan Carlos Freile y Chiriboga and Luz Zaldumbide Gangotena. He inherited or bought a number of haciendas, in which he pioneered Holstein livestock raising in Ecuador. He served as president of the Central University of Ecuador.

He was the acting President from 12 August 1911 to 1 September 1911 (a reign lasting just 21 days). He took the role on a temporary basis when Eloy Alfaro, who had been President for over 4 years, became defenestraded and went to exile.

Freile was replaced by the already elected President Emilio Estrada, whose reign lasted just over three months before he died on 21 December 1911.

Carlos Freile then served a second term as acting president of Ecuador, this time from 22 December 1911 to 6 March 1912. Freile stepped down as acting president for a second time during a rebellion, and was succeeded by Francisco Andrade Marín.

He married his second cousin Rosa Elena Larrea y Gómez de la Torre. They had five children, including Carlos Freile Larrea, who was acting president for four days in 1932.