Guayaquil, despite being destroyed on several occasions by fire and incessantly plagued by either yellow fever or malaria, was a center of vigorous trade among the colonies, a trade that was technically illegal under the mercantilist philosophy of the contemporary Spanish rulers.
Guayaquil, som trots flera bränder och drabbat av antingen gula febern eller malaria, var centrum för en livlig handel mellan kolonierna, en handel som teknist sett var illegal enligt de samtida spanska regenternas merkantilistiska filosofi.