Francisco Flores Pérez Biography

(39th President of El Salvador)

Birthday: October 17, 1959 (Libra)

Born In: Santa Ana, El Salvador

Francisco Flores Perez was a Salvadoran politician who served as the he President of El Salvador from 1999 to 2004. An impressive personality with a distinguished academic record, Flores was not interested in politics initially. In fact, right after completing his education, he took up the job of a teacher. However, fate had something else in store for him. The victory of the ARENA (Nationalist Republican Alliance) party in the 1989 presidential elections led to his appointment as vice minister for planning. Since then, there was no looking back for this illustrious political figure. In 1994, he served as the Secretary of Information of the Presidency and three years later secured the seat of the President of the Legislative Assembly. The turning point in his political career came when he was elected as the President of El Salvador in the 1999 presidential elections. Under his leadership, he strengthened ties with United States by closely aligning with the latter’s policies. He was also instrumental in the migration of Salvador’s historical currency colon for US Dollar. For his outstanding contribution to his country, Monaco bestowed upon him the Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi honor. He was the first former Salvadorian president to be indicted and tried for corruption and was put under house arrest during the latter part of his life.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Francisco Guillermo Flores Pérez

Died At Age: 56

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Lourdes Rodríguez de Flores

children: Gabriela, Juan Marcos

Born Country: El Salvador

Political Leaders Amherst College

political ideology: Nationalist Republican Alliance

Died on: January 30, 2016

place of death: San Salvador, El Salvador

Notable Alumni: University Of Hartford

Cause of Death: Cerebral Hemorrhage

More Facts

education: Harvard University, Amherst College, University Of Hartford

Childhood & Early Life
Francisco Flores Perez was born on October 17, 1959 in Santa Ana, El Salvador to Ulises Flores and Maria Leonor Perez Flores. He has two siblings.
Upon completing his elementary education, he enrolled at the Escuela Americana in San Salvador where he graduated from. He then attended Hillyer College, under University of Hartford, to acquire a degree in sociology.
Subsequently, he gained admission at the Amherst College, in Massachusetts, United States and majored in political science. Following this, he moved to England to pursue a program in History and Literature at Trinity College, University of Oxford.
Returning to America, he attained Master’s degree in philosophy from the World University, California. Furthermore, he studied Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Career
In 1983, Francisco Flores Perez returned to El Salvador. At that time, El Salvador was experiencing political unrest with the fourth year of civil war in progress. He started his career as professor of Philosophy at the University Dr. José Matías Delgado (UJMD).
Unlike others, Flores did not join the political bandwagon and instead limited himself to teaching only.
It was only by the end of the 1980s that Flores commenced his political career. In 1989, ARENA (Nationalist Republican Alliance) party won the March elections for Presidency of the Republic. Party chief, Alfredo Cristiani Burkard, appointed Flores as the vice minister for planning.
In course of time, he became the vice minister of the Presidency and in this capacity, he served as adviser of the President. It was during this time that he played a crucial role in establishing the State of the Peace Accords that was eventually signed by FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) thereby ending the war.
In March 1994, he was elected deputy of the Legislative Assembly. Under the new nationalist president, Armando Calderón, he served as the Executive Secretary of Information to the Presidency.
In 1997, Flores became the President of the Legislative Assembly. It was during his presidency that the Law of Telecommunications was signed. The move was significant as it was signed with the consent of all deputies of political parties and guaranteed overall improvement of the coverage in telecommunications.
In 1998, Flores was selected as ARENA’s candidate for the presidential elections, which were to be held in 1999. With this, he stepped down as the head of the legislative. What gave Flores the edge over other party members was his moderate approach within the party.
He won the presidential elections and assumed the office of the President on July 1, 1999, holding it for a complete five year term until 2004.
During his presidency, Flores maintained close ties with the United States, thereby strengthening the US-Salvadoran relations. This was evident from the fact that he deployed Salvadoran troops to Iraq for supporting the US forces. Later, he negotiated a free-trade agreement between the United States and the Central American region.
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The most prominent undertaking that he embarked on during his presidency was dollarization. It was under his leadership that Salvador’s historical currency colon, gave way to US dollar.
Flores’ move for dollarization earned both admiration and criticism from the people. However, taking into consideration the country’s economy, it was a well thought of shift as it brought forth added advantage of reduced interest rates, easier trade and easier integration into global economy.
Flores’s presidency had its share of downfall too. He was criticized for being an autocratic leader which led to too many strikes. Furthermore, his dollarization caused high long-term inflation in the country. Adding to the woes was inefficient international aid provided to citizens in the year 2001 after two massive earthquakes had hit the nation.
In 2004, Flores showed a keen interest in running for the office of the Secretary General of Organization of American States. However, ex-President of Costa Rica, Miguel Angel Rodriguez was elected to the post. Rodriguez resignation sparked his interest yet again, but lack of support caused him to withdraw.
Flores faced corruption and disobedience charges and was placed under house arrest. The case was investigated by Salvadoran Attorney General. He was charged with mishandling $10 million that was donated by Taiwan's government during his presidency in 2003.
Major Works
Flores’s tenure as the vice-minister of the presidency and advisor to the head of state was remarkable as it was during this time that the guerrilla group, FMLN ended the fighting, by consenting to the State of Peace Accords that was primarily established, planned and directed by Flores.
During his role as the President of the Legislative Assembly, Flores was successfully in bringing into effect the law of telecommunication, which brought overall improvement in all the sectors of telecommunication coverage. The agreement was given a green signal by the deputies of all the political parties, ARENA, PCN and PDC.
Flores is regarded as the architect of Salvador’s economy. Prior to his term as the President of El Salvador, colon, was currency of El Salvador. It was under his leadership that the US dollar replaced colon. Dollarization led to reduced interest rates, easier trade and easier integration on global economy.
Awards & Achievements
On July 20, 2001, the Principality of Monaco bestowed upon him the honor of Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi for his outstanding contribution as a political leader of El Salvador.
Personal Life & Legacy
Flores married Lourdes Maria Rodriguez, daughter of Jose Antonio Rodriguez Porth, in 1985.
Flores suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in January 2016 and died on January 30, 2016 in a private hospital in San Salvador after slipping into a coma after an emergency surgery. He just 55 prior to his cerebral hemorrhage.
Trivia
Francisco Flores Perez was known by the nicknames Paco and Paquito.
At the time of his appointment as the President of El Salvador, he was the youngest candidate ever, both in El Salvador and American continent, to hold the position. He was only 39 years old when he became the President.

See the events in life of Francisco Flores Pérez in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Francisco Flores Pérez Biography
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- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/francisco-flores-prez-5994.php

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