Bishop Guido Iván Minda Chalá

Chalá (born in Apuela on February 20, 1960) is an Ecuadorian Catholic priest and bishop. He is the Bishop of Santa Elena. He served as Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil from 2009 to 2022. Guido Iván was born on February 20, 1960, in Apuela, Cotacachi, Imbabura Province, Ecuador. He completed his primary education at the "Francisco Javier Endara" public school in Apuela. The following year, he continued his studies at the "Alfonso del Hierro" school in Quito and finished at the "Instituto Rosales" in Ibarra; both of the latter institutions were run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. He completed his secondary education at the "Jacinto Collaguazo" night school and the "San Pablo del Lago" school, both in Otavalo (1988–1992). Subsequently, he entered the Major Seminary of Ibarra, where he studied philosophy (1992–1994). He pursued theology studies at the University of Navarra while residing at the "Bidasoa International Ecclesiastical College" in Pamplona, Spain (1994–1998), and later obtained a licentiate degree in philosophy (2002–2004). He was ordained a priest on June 27, 1998, for the Diocese of Ibarra, by the then-Bishop Antonio Arregui. He served as vicar of the "Santísimo Sacramento" parish in Alpachaca (1998–1999), parish priest of "Santa María de la Esperanza" and director of the Minor Seminary of Ibarra (1999–2002), formator and secretary of the Major Seminary of Ibarra (2004–2005), philosophy professor at the Major Seminary of Ibarra (2004–2009), administrator of the "San Pedro de la Carolina" parish (2007–2009), and parish priest of Santa Catalina de Salinas (2005–2009). Coordinator of the "Don Pedro de Arobe High-Performance Center" (2005–2009). Administrator of the "La Lita" Parish (2005–2009). Episcopal Vicar for the Clergy (2005–2009). Member of the Presbyteral Council (2005–2009). On November 4, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Titular Bishop of Nysa in Lycia and Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil. He is the first Afro-Ecuadorian priest to be appointed a bishop. He was consecrated on November 28 of that same year at the Cathedral of Guayaquil by the then-Archbishop of Guayaquil, Antonio Arregui. His co-consecrators were the then-Apostolic Nuncio to Ecuador, Giacomo Ottonello, and the then-Bishop of Ibarra, Julio Terán Dutari, SJ. As auxiliary bishop, he was entrusted with the Southern and Southwestern Vicariates, as well as the Daule-Balzar Vicariate. President of the CEE Commission on Cultures (2017–2020). On October 13, 2018, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ibarra. He held this position until February 1, 2020, when Monsignor René Coba took canonical possession as bishop of that diocese; he then resumed his duties as Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil. On February 2, 2022, the Diocese of Santa Elena was established, and he was simultaneously appointed its first bishop.