Archbishop of Quito
He was born in Guayaquil (Guayas Province) on April 22, 1958, the second child of Alfredo Antonio Espinoza Herbas and Consuelo Mateus Jijón de Espinoza. He completed his primary education at the Cristóbal Colón Salesian School in Guayaquil from 1963 to 1969. He pursued his secondary education at the Cristóbal Colón Salesian College in Guayaquil from 1970 to 1976, obtaining a high school diploma in Science. He studied medicine for two years at the Catholic University of Guayaquil (1976–1977). From 1979 to 1982, he studied Philosophy and Pedagogy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in Quito, earning a Licentiate degree in Educational Sciences with a specialization in Catechesis; he later studied at the Faculty of Theology from 1985 to 1989 and pursued a Master's degree in Educational Sciences from 2003 to 2004. His Salesian formation began in 1977 in Riobamba, where he completed his postulancy; he undertook his novitiate in Rionegro, Colombia (1978–1979) and his post-novitiate in Quito (1979–1982). He worked as a teacher at the Cristóbal Colón College in Guayaquil from 1982 to October 1985, and at the Santo Tomás Apóstol College in Riobamba from April to September 1985, while also studying Theology in Quito from 1985 to 1989. He made his first religious profession with the Salesian Congregation at the Rionegro (Colombia) novitiate on January 24, 1979, and his perpetual vows on August 16, 1984, in Guayaquil. He was ordained a deacon on May 14, 1988, and a priest in Guayaquil on December 17, 1988. On December 20, 2013, he was appointed Bishop of Loja by His Holiness Pope Francis, receiving episcopal ordination on January 18, 2014. On April 5, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Quito and Primate of Ecuador; he took office on May 2, 2019. Pope Francis presented him with the archiepiscopal pallium in Rome on June 29, 2019, and the imposition of the pallium took place on July 20, 2019, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito. The positions of responsibility assigned to him by the Salesian Provincial House are as follows: Administrator of the Cristóbal Colón Salesian School in Guayaquil (1983–1985); Director of Pastoral Ministry at the Cristóbal Colón Salesian School in Guayaquil (1983–1985); Administrator of the Santo Tomás Apóstol Salesian School in Riobamba (1985); Administrator of the Salesian Theologate (1985–1987); National Advisor for the Salesian Youth Movement (1986–1988); Vice-Rector of the San José Salesian School in Manta (1989–1993); Director of Pastoral Ministry at the San José Salesian School in Manta (1989–1993); Administrator of the Santo Tomás Apóstol Salesian School in Riobamba (1993–1999); Rector and Administrator of the Santo Tomás Apóstol Salesian School in Riobamba (1994–1999); Director of Pastoral Ministry at the Santo Tomás Apóstol Salesian School in Riobamba (1999–2003); Administrator of the Santo Tomás Apóstol Salesian Community in Riobamba (1999–2003); Director of Pastoral Ministry at the Salesian Technical School in Quito (2003–2004); Director of the Domingo Savio Salesian Community in Guayaquil (2004–2007); Rector of the Domingo Savio Salesian School in Guayaquil (2004–2008); Director of the Cristóbal Colón Salesian Community in Guayaquil (2007–2009); Administrator of the Cristóbal Colón Salesian Community in Guayaquil (2007–2009); Coordinator of the Salesian Family (Manta-Guayaquil-Playas-Machala zone) (2007–2009); Moderator of the Salesian Provincial Chapter of Ecuador (2006–2007); Delegate of the Salesians of Ecuador to the 26th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation (Rome, 2008); Provincial Councilor of the Salesians of Ecuador (since 2008). Advisor to the Salesian Ladies Association of Guayaquil (2008–2009). Provincial Delegate for Salesian Alumni in Ecuador (since 2009). Provincial Treasurer for the Salesians of Ecuador (since August 2009). Director and Treasurer of the Salesian Community of El Girón, Quito (since August 2009). National Coordinator for the visit of the Urn of Saint John Bosco to Ecuador (2008–2010). Member of the Standing Commission of the National Council for Salesian Education (since 2009). Member of the Board of Directors of Salesian Social Communication Enterprises in Ecuador (since 2009). Delegate from the Provincial Council to the Higher Council of the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador (since 2009). Member of the Economic Council of the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador (since 2009). Coordinator of the Salesian Family in Quito (since August 2009). Director of the Don Bosco Consultancy (since September 2010). President of the Centenary Year Committee for the Cristóbal Colón Salesian School (2010–2011). Director of the Salesian Vocational Fund for the Interamerica and Southern Cone regions (since April 2011). Coordinator of the Preparatory Commission for the Bicentenary Celebration of the Birth of Saint John Bosco (since March 2011). Director of the Provincial House Community (2011–2014).