Famous Salvadoran Political Leaders

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 1 
José Napoleón Duarte
(Salvadoran Political figure)
José Napoleón Duarte
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Birthdate: November 23, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Santa Ana
Died: February 23, 1990

José Napoleón Duarte was the president of El Salvador during the tumultuous years of the Salvadoran Civil War and had witnessed mass killings of civilians by the army. Though he was supported by the U.S., he failed to remove poverty from his country and ended up being ousted by ARENA.

 2 
Salvador Sánchez Cerén
(42nd President of El Salvador (2014 – 2019))
Salvador Sánchez Cerén
3
Birthdate: June 18, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Quezaltepeque, La Libertad

Salvador Sánchez Cerén is a Salvadoran politician best known for his service as the 42nd President of El Salvador from 2014 to 2019. A guerrilla leader in the Salvadoran Civil War, Sánchez Cerén was the first ex-rebel to serve as president. An influential politician, Salvador Sánchez Cerén also served as the Vice President of El Salvador from 2009 to 2014.

 3 
Mauricio Funes
(Former President of El Salvador)
Mauricio Funes
2
Birthdate: October 18, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: San Salvador

Mauricio Funes is a Salvadoran politician who won the 2009 presidential election representing the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front political party. He served as the 44th president of El Salvador from 2009 to 2014. Before establishing himself as a politician, Mauricio Funes had a successful career in journalism, hosting local news programs and interviewing leftist rebel leaders.

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 4 
Francisco Flores Pérez
(39th President of El Salvador)
Francisco Flores Pérez
4
Birthdate: October 17, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Died: January 30, 2016

Francisco Flores Pérez was a Salvadoran politician and an important member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA). From 1999 to 2004, Flores served as the 42nd president of El Salvador. Flores became the first former president from El Salvador to be charged with a crime and tried on corruption charges.

 5 
Fidel Sánchez Hernández
(32nd President of El Salvador (1967 – 1972))
Fidel Sánchez Hernández
1
Birthdate: July 7, 1917
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: El Divisadero, El Salvador
Died: February 28, 2003

Fidel Sánchez Hernández was a Salvadoran politician and military officer. He served as the 32nd President of El Salvador from 1967 to 1972. In 1969, he led the Salvadoran Army in the Football War against Honduras. Prior to becoming the president, Fidel served as an army general. He also served as the Minister of the Interior from 1962 to 1967.

 6 
Carlos Humberto Romero
(37th President of El Salvador (1977 – 1979))
Carlos Humberto Romero
1
Birthdate: February 29, 1924
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chalatenango, El Salvador
Died: February 27, 2017

Carlos Humberto Romero was a Salvadoran politician best remembered for his service as the 37th President of El Salvador from 1977 to 1979. His presidency was marked by political unrest that culminated in the 1979 Salvadoran coup d’état, which ended Carlos Humberto Romero's presidency.

 7 
Ana Maria
(Salvadoran Political Figure & Icon Among Revolutionary Women)
Ana Maria
1
Birthdate: May 17, 1929
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Santiago Texacuangos, El Salvador
Died: April 6, 1983

Ana Maria was a Salvadoran political figure who was second in command of a guerrilla military and political organization called the Fuerzas Populares de Liberación Farabundo Martí (FPL). An intellectual, Ana Maria was regarded as an icon among revolutionary women. She was assassinated on April 6, 1983 by her own comrades in Managua, Nicaragua.

 8 
Milena Mayorga
(Former Beauty Pageant Contestant and Model)
Milena Mayorga
1
Birthdate: April 22, 1976
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Milena Mayorga is a Salvadoran political figure and former beauty pageant contestant and model. She represented El Salvador at the 1996 Miss Universe pageant where she entered the top ten. Milena Mayorga is currently serving as Salvadoran Ambassador to the United States of America.

 9 
Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán
(Former President of El Salvador)
Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán
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Birthdate: 1801 AD
Birthplace: Cartago
Died: 1875 AD

Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán was a Salvadoran politician best remembered for his service as the acting President of El Salvador. He served as the acting president on three occasions between 1844 and 1859. An important politician, Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán also served as the Vice President of El Salvador on a couple of occasions.   

 10 
María Luisa Hayem
(Salvadoran Politician and Economist)
María Luisa Hayem
1
Birthplace: El Salvador

Maria Luisa Hayem is a Salvadoran politician and economist. In 2019, she was appointed as the Minister of the Economy of Salvador and is currently working towards reactivating her country's economy. Maria Luisa Hayem is also credited with forming a non-profit organization called Mentoring International, which mentors young people in El Salvador.

 11 
Maria Ofelia Navarrete
(Salvadoran Politician)
Maria Ofelia Navarrete
1
Birthplace: El Savador

Maria Ofelia Navarrete is a Salvadoran politician who was appointed by President Nayib Bukele as the Minister of Local Development in May 2019. She also played a prominent role in the establishment of a bridge named Maria Chichilco over the Torola River, which was inaugurated in 2019. 

 12 
Lilian Mercedes Letona
(Salvadoran Communist and Guerrilla Revolutionary)
Lilian Mercedes Letona
1
Birthdate: September 24, 1954
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Turín, El Salvador
Died: August 1, 1983

Lilian Mercedes Letona was a Salvadoran communist and guerrilla revolutionary. An important member of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, Mercedes is best remembered for taking an active part in the Salvadoran Civil War. Lilian Mercedes Letona died fighting in a battle at the age of 28.

 13 
María Isabel Rodríguez
(One of the First Women to Enter the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly)
María Isabel Rodríguez
0
Birthdate: November 5, 1922
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

María Isabel Rodríguez is a physician, government official, and academic. In 1956, Rodríguez was among the first set of women to enter the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly. She then went on to serve as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare from 2009 to 2014. Rodríguez also served as the rector of the University of El Salvador from 1999 to 2007. 

 14 
Alexandra Hill Tinoco
(Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador)
Alexandra Hill Tinoco
1
Birthdate: 1965 AD
Birthplace: El Salvador

Alexandra Hill Tinoco is a Salvadoran politician and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador. Over the course of her career, Hill Tinoco has also played an important role in the development of a non-governmental organization named Fundasalva, which focuses on the treatment of drug abuse.

 15 
Ana Vilma de Escobar
(First Salvadoran Female Vice President)
Ana Vilma de Escobar
1
Birthdate: March 2, 1954
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Ana Vilma de Escobar is a Salvadoran politician who served as the Vice President of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009. An important member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance party, De Escobar is the first Salvadoran woman to serve as the country's vice president.

 16 
Francisco Gavidia
(Salvadoran Writer, Speaker, Historian, Educator and Politician)
Francisco Gavidia
1
Birthdate: December 29, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Miguel, El Salvador
Died: September 24, 1955

Francisco Gavidia was a Salvadoran writer, speaker, historian, educator, politician, journalist, and translator. A multi-talented personality, Gavidia's work in literature, theater, music, philosophy, and politics continue to have a strong impact in El Salvador. Francisco Gavidia is also credited with mentoring the Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío.

 17 
Margarita Villalta de Sánchez
(Former First Lady of El Salvador)
Margarita Villalta de Sánchez
1
Birthdate: April 4, 1950
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Quezaltepeque, El Salvador

Margarita Villalta de Sánchez is a politician, activist, and public figure. Best known as the wife of former El Salvador President, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, Villalta served as the First Lady of El Salvador from 2014 to 2019. During their tenure as president and first lady, Sánchez Cerén and Villalta converted their official residence into a museum.

 18 
Diego Vigil Cocaña
(Former President of El Salvador)
Diego Vigil Cocaña
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Birthdate: 1799 AD
Birthplace: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Died: January 10, 1845

Diego Vigil Cocaña was a Central American politician who served as the President of Federal Republic of Central America from 1839 to 1840. He also served as the 11th and 13th President of El Salvador between 1836 and 1838. Diego Vigil Cocaña is also remembered for his service as the seventh President of Honduras from 1828 to 1829.

 19 
Carmen Elena Figueroa
(Salvadoran Politician and Former Beauty Pageant Winner)
Carmen Elena Figueroa
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Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Carmen Elena Figueroa is a Salvadoran politician who was elected to the National Assembly in 2006. She is currently an important member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance. A former beauty pageant winner, Carmen Elena Figueroa represented her country at the 1975 Miss Universe Pageant.

 20 
Cristina Cornejo
(Salvadoran Politician, Feminist, and Lawyer)
Cristina Cornejo
1
Birthdate: October 10, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cojutepeque, El Salvador

Cristina Cornejo is a Salvadoran politician, feminist, and lawyer. An important member of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, Cornejo has held prominent offices. Cristina Cornejo is also one of the most important members of the Mélida Anaya Montes Women's Movement Association.

 21 
Karina Sosa
(Salvadoran Political Figure)
Karina Sosa
0
Birthdate: April 5, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Karina Sosa is a Salvadoran politician and a member of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. During the 2019 presidential election, Sosa achieved popularity as the running mate of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front's presidential candidate, Hugo Martínez.

 22 
Carmen María Gallardo Hernández
(Salvadorian Diplomat)
Carmen María Gallardo Hernández
0
Birthdate: November 28, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Carmen María Gallardo Hernández is a Salvadorian diplomat who has served in important diplomatic posts abroad. She has also served in various representative roles in international organizations such as the United Nations. Carmen María Gallardo Hernández has also received many accolades over the course of her illustrious career.

 23 
Marta Benavides
(Salvadoran Theologian and Feminist Religious Leader)
Marta Benavides
0
Birthdate: 1943 AD
Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Marta Benavides is a Salvadoran theologian and feminist religious leader. A multi-talented personality, Benavides is also an ordained American Baptist minister, artist, educator, and permaculturist. She is credited with founding an organization called Siglo XXIII, which promotes cultural activities. Marta Benavides is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Women's World Summit Foundation Prize.

 24 
Irma Amaya
(Salvadoran Human Rights Activist, Feminist, Former Guerrilla Fighter, and Politician)
Irma Amaya
0
Birthdate: June 28, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Unknown

Irma Amaya is a Salvadoran human rights activist, feminist, former guerrilla fighter, and politician. In 2018, she was elected as the first woman President of the Central American Parliament and served in that position until 2019. Irma Amaya is also credited with founding an organization called the Mélida Anaya Montes Women's Movement Association.

 25 
Marisol Argueta de Barillas
(Salvadoran Politician and Educator)
Marisol Argueta de Barillas
0
Birthdate: April 6, 1968
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: El Salvador

Marisol Argueta de Barillas is a Salvadoran politician best known for her service as the Minister of Foreign Relations from 16 January 2008 to 1 June 2009. Also an educator, Marisol Argueta de Barillas has worked at a private university as an assistant professor of Political Law and Constitutional Law.

 26 
Violeta Menjivar
(The First Woman to be Elected as the Mayor of San Salvador)
Violeta Menjivar
0
Birthdate: August 22, 1952
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Arcatao, El Salvador

Violeta Menjivar is a Salvadoran politician best known for her service as the Minister of Health and Social Welfare from 2014 to 2019. In 2006, she became the first woman to be elected as the Mayor of San Salvador, a position which she held until 2009.

 27 
Gloria Salguero Gross
(President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador)
Gloria Salguero Gross
0
Birthdate: September 24, 1941
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Died: November 1, 2015

Gloria Salguero Gross was a Salvadoran businesswoman and politician. She is best remembered for co-founding the Nationalist Republican Alliance. From 1994 to 1997, Salguero Gross was the president of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. Gloria Salguero Gross was only the second female politician to serve in that position.

 28 
Milena Calderón Sol de Escalón
(The First Female Mayoress of Santa Ana)
Milena Calderón Sol de Escalón
0
Birthdate: 1945 AD
Birthplace: Santa Ana, El Salvador

Milena Calderón Sol de Escalón is a Salvadoran politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador for the Nationalist Republican Alliance between 1991 and 2018. In 2018, she was elected as the first female mayoress of Santa Ana. 

 29 
Jose Maria Peralta Lagos
(Salvadoran Writer, Politician, and Military Engineer)
Jose Maria Peralta Lagos
0
Birthdate: July 25, 1873
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Santa Tecla, El Salvador
Died: July 22, 1944

Jose Maria Peralta Lagos was a Salvadoran writer, politician, and military engineer. He is perhaps best remembered for his service as the Minister of National Defense from 1 March 1911 to 9 February 1913. Peralta Lagos is also credited with overseeing the establishment of the Teatro Nacional de El Salvador along with José Emilio Alcaine in the early 20th century.