Mariana Mendieta was born in Chone, Ecuador, on 10 April 1956.[1] She entered politics when she joined Ecuadorian Radical Liberal Party in support of Raúl Clemente Huerta [es] and Carlos Luis Plaza Aray. After the deaths of both men, she left the Radical Liberals and joined the Social Christian Party. In 1998, she was elected to the City Council of Durán. During her inauguration, Mendieta was attacked by assailants she identified as being supporters of incumbent mayor Oswaldo Peñaherrera, a member of the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party. She was so badly beaten that she had to abort her pregnancy at that time and developed a colostomy. Mendieta was dismissed from her position following a controversy wherein, during a cantonal meeting, she stripped off her pants and underwear to display her colostomy bag and accuse Mayor Peñaherrera of orchestrating the attack. She was restored to her seat by the Constitutional Court.[3]
Mendieta resigned from her town council seat to stand as a candidate for the 2000 provincial elections [es] as a representative of the Social Christian Party, and was elected Mayor of Durán.[3] She was reelected in the 2004 provincial elections [es].[4] Her mayoralty was focused on the maintenance of roads and parks.[5]
In July 2007, Mendieta was accused of embezzlement over alleged administrative irregularities.[3]