157-466: Sonsonate ( Spanish pronunciation: [sonsoˈnate] ) is a city and district of El Salvador , of which it is also its municipal seat. It has an estimated population of 71,980 inhabitants for the year 2020. Sonsonate is the second most important city in western El Salvador. The town was founded under the name of "Villa del Espíritu Santo" on vacant lots near the town of los Izalcos in 1552. However, this foundation would be extremely ephemeral, because
314-562: A caste system , with Spaniards at the top, mixed-race individuals in the middle, and Africans and indigenous Central Americans at the bottom. Spaniards owned most of the region's land and wealth, and indigenous people composed most of its labor force. The Catholic Church dominated all aspects of Central American society during Spanish colonial rule. Although the region's indigenous inhabitants were gradually forced by colonial officials to convert to Catholicism, they retained many of their cultural traditions. The Spanish king Ferdinand VII
471-597: A talud - tablero style of architecture that is associated with Nahua culture and corresponds with their migration history from Anahuac. In eastern El Salvador, the Lenca site of Quelepa is highlighted as a major pre-Columbian cultural center and demonstrates links to the Mayan site of Copan in western Honduras as well as the previously mentioned sites in Chalchuapa, and Cara Sucia in western El Salvador. An investigation of
628-611: A 20th-century Costa Rican lawyer and rector of the University of Costa Rica , described the presidency of the Federal Republic of Central America as "merely decorative". The Supreme Court of Justice was established on 2 August 1824 as the federal republic's judicial branch. It consisted of six justices, two of whom were elected every two years. The first justices took office on 29 April 1825. The Supreme Court could not enforce its rulings on unconstitutional laws passed by
785-529: A Maya-Lenca crown princess, Antu Silan Ulap I, organized resistance to the conquistadors. The commonwealth of the Lenca was alarmed by de Moscoso's invasion, and Antu Silan travelled from village to village, uniting all the Lenca towns in present-day El Salvador and Honduras against the Spaniards. Through surprise attacks and overwhelming numbers, they were able to drive the Spanish out of San Miguel and destroy
942-558: A congress to determine the region's future. The Mexican Constituent Congress [ es ] ordered Mexican forces in Central America to cease hostilities on 1 April, and the Central American congress convened on 24 June. Except for the state of Chiapas , it declared Central American independence from Mexico on 1 July. At Central America's independence from Mexico, the Central American congress established
1099-585: A decree dissolving the Federal Republic of Central America; the Federal Congress accepted his decree on 14 July. On 30 January 1841, El Salvador declared independence from the Federal Republic of Central America. At the fall of the federal republic, four of its five successor states were led by opponents of federal rule and proponents of their respective states' secession: Braulio Carrillo (Costa Rica), Francisco Malespín (El Salvador), Carrera (Guatemala), and Francisco Ferrera (Honduras). According to
1256-499: A few families. Throughout the last half of the 19th century, a succession of presidents from the ranks of the Salvadoran oligarchy, nominally both conservative and liberal, generally agreed on the promotion of coffee as the predominant cash crop , the development of infrastructure (railroads and port facilities) primarily in support of the coffee trade, the elimination of communal landholdings to facilitate further coffee production,
1413-721: A government census. Among the Mesoamerican nations that historically controlled the region are the Mayans , and then the Cuzcatlecs . Archaeological monuments also suggest an early Olmec presence around the first millennium BC. In the beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish Empire conquered the Central American territory, incorporating it into the Viceroyalty of New Spain ruled from Mexico City . However
1570-626: A letter to Mexican President Vicente Guerrero in November 1829 with the same request; Guerrero did not respond either. After Central American Minister of Relations Manuel Julián Ibarra sent a third request to the Mexican government to extradite the refugees in December 1829, Mexico said that it could grant the Central American request. Arce threatened to invade the Federal Republic of Central America in late 1831 from Soconusco (a territory along
1727-406: A letter to the Mexican minister of external relations falsely claiming that Central American refugees fleeing to Mexico were actually enemy forces who sought to "chain and submit their towns to the Spanish yoke" (" encadenar y someter sus pueblos al yugo español "). He asked the Mexican government to extradite the refugees back to Central America. Receiving no reply, José Francisco Barrundia sent
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#17327725942381884-504: A los mayores peligros "). The federal republic consisted of five states: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Each state was subdivided into 45 partidos (districts). From 7 February 1835 to 3 May 1839, the Federal District was centered around San Salvador as the national capital. Briefly, from 1838 to 1839, the federal government considered separating Los Altos from Guatemala and elevating it to
2041-711: A rebellion in San Juan Nonualco and Santiago Nonualco in response to indigenous killings by Ladinos (mixed-race people) the month before. Aquino and 2,000 supporters (known as the Liberation Army) marched on San Vicente , capturing it the following day. The Liberation Army proclaimed him as San Vicente's political chief. Indigenous Salvadorans in Cojutepeque, Ilopango , San Martín , San Pedro Perulapán , and Soyapango supported Aquino's rebellion. Initial efforts by Salvadoran soldiers to suppress
2198-731: A rebellion in San Salvador against Spanish rule which was defeated by loyalist forces. Additional independence rebellions occurred in December 1811 in Nicaragua [ es ] ; in 1813 in Guatemala; and in 1814 in San Salvador [ es ] . All were defeated by loyalist forces, but pro-independence sentiment spread among Central American leaders. The Cortes of Cádiz (a Spanish constitutional congress in Cádiz ) drafted
2355-424: A rebellion against conservative Nicaraguan political leader Miguel González Saravia y Colarte [ es ] , capturing several cities. Ordóñez's rebellion continued after Central America declared its independence from Mexico. On 19 March 1823, Iturbide abdicated the Mexican throne. When news of Iturbide's abdication reached Filísola on 29 March, he called for Central American political leaders to establish
2512-472: A result of the Napoleonic Wars , with the resulting inability to control its colonies effectively. In November 1811 Salvadoran priest José Matías Delgado rang the bells of Iglesia La Merced in San Salvador, calling for insurrection and launching the 1811 Independence Movement . This insurrection was suppressed, and many of its leaders were arrested and served sentences in jail. Another insurrection
2669-426: A result, which led to liberals continuing to accuse him of betraying the liberal cause. Juan Barrundia [ es ] , José Francisco Barrundia's brother, opposed the federal government and was one of Arce's foremost critics. He moved Guatemala's capital back to Guatemala City from Antigua Guatemala in mid-1825 (reversing the 1823 move) and seized private property to establish state government offices, since
2826-611: A shadowy figure, a rich anti-communist banker called Rodolfo Duke, and later installed the vice-president Martínez as president. The revolt was probably caused by the army's discontent at not having been paid by President Araujo for some months. Araujo left the National Palace and unsuccessfully tried to organize forces to defeat the revolt. The U.S. Minister in El Salvador met with the Directorate and later recognized
2983-556: A union named the Federal Republic of Central America . In early 1822, the authorities of the newly independent Central American provinces, meeting in Guatemala City, voted to join the newly constituted First Mexican Empire under Agustín de Iturbide . El Salvador resisted, insisting on autonomy for the Central American countries. A Mexican military detachment marched to San Salvador and suppressed dissent, but with
3140-588: A vest-like armour made of three inch cotton which arrows could not penetrate, and long spears. Both armies suffered many casualties, with a wounded Alvarado retreating and losing a lot of his men, especially among the Mexican Indian auxiliaries. Once his army had regrouped, Alvarado decided to head to the Cuzcatlan capital and again faced armed Cuzcatlec. Wounded, unable to fight and hiding in the cliffs, Alvarado sent his Spanish men on their horses to approach
3297-632: A volcanic eruption, after which it never regained its former prominence. Another major Pre-Columbian settlement is Cara Sucia in the far west of the country, which began as a small settlement around 800 BC at the beginning of the Middle Preclassic, during the Late Classic (600-900 AD), Cara Sucia emerged as a major urban settlement, before being abruptly destroyed during the 10th century. The Pipil people , Nahua speaking groups migrated from Anahuac beginning around 800 AD and occupied
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#17327725942383454-607: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . El Salvador El Salvador , officially the Republic of El Salvador , is a country in Central America . It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras , on the northwest by Guatemala , and on the south by the Pacific Ocean . El Salvador's capital and largest city is San Salvador . The country's population in 2024 was estimated to be 6 million according to
3611-463: Is now Salvadoran territory was made by the admiral Andrés Niño , who led an expedition to Central America. He disembarked in the Gulf of Fonseca on 31 May 1522, at Meanguera island , naming it Petronila, and then traversed to Jiquilisco Bay on the mouth of Lempa River . The first indigenous people to have contact with the Spanish were the Lenca of eastern El Salvador. In 1524, after participating in
3768-568: The 8th and 18th parallel north . On 5 May 1824, the National Constituent Assembly ordered each of the federal republic's five states to draft a constitution and install state-level legislative, executive, and judicial branches similar to those of the federal government. Each state could elect legislators, a governor, and judicial officials in indirect elections. Like the Senate at the federal level, each state's Senate
3925-709: The Battle of La Trinidad on 10 November 1827, recapturing Comayagua and Tegucigalpa. Arce offered to hold a presidential election in early 1828 in an attempt to appease the liberals, who declined his offer. He resigned the presidency on 14 February and fled to Mexico; Beltranena succeeded Arce as interim president. Morazán invaded El Salvador in June 1828 with an army of Honduran and Nicaraguan soldiers, capturing San Salvador on 23 October. In late 1828, Morazán raised 4,000 soldiers for an invasion of Guatemala. Beltranena's government warned its citizens that Morazán's primary objective
4082-638: The First Central American Civil War without a formal declaration of war. Honduras supported El Salvador's invasion, but Arce's federal soldiers defeated the invasion in a 23 March battle at Arrazola (near Guatemala City). Arce launched a counter-invasion into El Salvador and was defeated on 18 May at Milingo, near San Salvador. While Arce was campaigning in El Salvador, he sent a division of soldiers commanded by Colonel José Justo Milla into Honduras to arrest liberal Honduran Governor Dionisio de Herrera . Milla's forces captured
4239-589: The First Mexican Empire on 1 July 1823, was the United Provinces of Central America ( Spanish : Provincias Unidas del Centro de América ). Upon the adoption of the country's constitution on 22 November 1824, the United Provinces of Central America changed its name to the Federal Republic of Central America ( República Federal de Centro América ). In the years shortly after independence, some official government documents referred to
4396-477: The Greater Republic of Central America , which dissolved in 1898. After the mid-19th century, the economy was based on coffee growing. As the world market for indigo withered away, the economy prospered or suffered as the world coffee price fluctuated. The enormous profits that coffee yielded as a monoculture export served as an impetus for the concentration of land into the hands of an oligarchy of just
4553-662: The Isthmus of Tehuantepec and south to the Isthmus of Panama . Spain transferred control of the Yucatán Peninsula to New Spain (modern-day Mexico ) in 1560, and transferred control of Panama to Peru seven years later. In 1568, the Central American audiencia was reorganized as the Captaincy General of Guatemala . The captaincy was subdivided into corregimientos , gobiernos , greater mayorships , and intendancies . Central America had
4710-599: The Preclassic Period and earlier. A notable archaeological site in western El Salvador is Chalchuapa , which was first settled around 1200 BC, and became a major urban settlement on the periphery of the Maya civilization during the Preclassic Period and was heavily involved in the trading of valuable items like ceramics, obsidian, cacao and hematite. The settlement was heavily damaged around 430 AD by
4867-629: The Salvadoran Civil War from 1979 to 1992, fought between the military-led government backed by the United States , and a coalition of left-wing guerrilla groups. The conflict ended with the Chapultepec Peace Accords . This negotiated settlement established a multiparty constitutional republic, which remains in place to this day. During the civil war and afterwards, large numbers of Salvadorans emigrated to
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5024-524: The Spanish Constitution of 1812 , which made Spain a constitutional monarchy . Ferdinand repealed the liberal constitution after returning to power in 1814, since he wanted to rule as an absolute monarch . His refusal to rule as a constitutional monarch and the desire of colonial leaders for greater local autonomy led to independence rebellions throughout Spain's American colonies. The rebellions were primarily led by liberals who supported
5181-473: The United Provinces of Central America ( Provincias Unidas del Centro de América ), was a sovereign state in Central America that existed between 1823 and 1839/1841. The republic was composed of five states ( Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , and Nicaragua ), and a Federal District from 1835 to 1839. Guatemala City was its capital city until 1834, when the seat of government
5338-566: The conquest of the Aztec Empire , Pedro de Alvarado , his brother Gonzalo, and their men crossed the Rio Paz southward into Cuzcatlec territory. Upon their arrival, Spaniards were disappointed to discover that the Pipil had little gold compared to what they had found in Guatemala or Mexico. The small amount of gold that was available had to be panned so that it could be obtained. Eventually,
5495-549: The election . He was sworn in as president on 31 May 2014. He was the first former guerrilla to become the president of El Salvador. In October 2017, an El Salvador court ruled that former president Funes and one of his sons had illegally enriched themselves. Funes had sought asylum in Nicaragua in 2016. In September 2018, former president Saca was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to diverting more than US$ 300 million in state funds to his own businesses and third parties. On 1 June 2019, Nayib Bukele became
5652-555: The glyptodont Glyptotherium , the llama Hemiauchenia , and the horse Equus conversidens . El Salvador has likely been occupied by humans since the Paleoindian period, based on fluted stone points found in western El Salvador. Archaeological knowledge of Pre-Columbian civilisation in El Salvador is poor, due to its high population density limiting excavation, as well as volcanic eruptions blanketing potential archaeological sites. This lack of knowledge particularly effects
5809-443: The late 1833 presidential election , the electoral college chose Valle as Central America's next president. Valle defeated Morazán because many voters and politicians opposed Morazán's use of military force to settle disputes between liberals and conservatives, and saw Valle as a moderate who could offer peace. Valle died of illness on 2 March 1834 while he was traveling to Guatemala to become president. As Morazán finished second in
5966-517: The 1812 constitution's Enlightenment ideals. Conservatives joined the independence movements in 1820, when Ferdinand was forced by Colonel Rafael del Riego to restore the 1812 constitution. On 15 September 1821, Central American colonial leaders declared independence from Spain and signed the Act of Independence of Central America . They established the Consultive Junta to temporarily govern
6123-590: The Caribbean coast in case Spain attempted to reassert control of the region. George Alexander Thompson, a British diplomat who visited Central America in 1825, said that the federal army would only have been able to resist a Spanish invasion with guerrilla warfare . By the end of 1829, the Central American federal army (now called the Protector Allied Army of the Law) totaled 4,000 soldiers. That year,
6280-431: The Central American government was unable to pay its debts to the military. Although Ariza pledged his loyalty to the National Constituent Assembly, many assembly members fled the city and called on soldiers from Chiquimula , Quetzaltenango , and San Salvador to suppress the insurrection. Neither Ariza's rebels nor Colonel José Rivas and his 750 soldiers from San Salvador wanted a battle. Conservatives took advantage of
6437-623: The Consultive Junta to join the First Mexican Empire in November 1821, and the junta voted for annexation on 5 January 1822. The Mexicans sent Brigadier General Vicente Filísola to enforce the annexation. Liberals in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua resisted Mexican attempts to annex the region. Liberals and conservatives fought in Costa Rica's Ochomogo War , which ended with the liberals gaining control of
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6594-766: The Cuzcatlec to see if they would fear the horses, but they did not retreat, Alvarado recalls in his letters to Hernán Cortés . The Cuzcatlec attacked again, and on this occasion stole Spanish weaponry. Alvarado retreated and sent Mexican messengers to demand that the Cuzcatlec warriors return the stolen weapons and surrender to their opponent's king. The Cuzcatlec responded with the famous response, "If you want your weapons, come get them". As days passed, Alvarado, fearing an ambush, sent more Mexican messengers to negotiate, but these messengers never came back and were presumably executed. The Spanish efforts were firmly resisted by Pipil and their Mayan-speaking neighbours. They defeated
6751-405: The Federal Congress declared all legislation passed after September 1826 null and void. Many leading conservatives were imprisoned or exiled under threat of death after the civil war, and many also had their property confiscated. Morazán also cracked down on the church. He expelled many members of the clergy from the country for supporting the conservatives, confiscated Church properties, and forced
6908-446: The Federal Congress reduced the maximum size of the federal army to 2,000 soldiers due to general distrust by the states of the power and influence of the federal army. Each state was instructed to provide soldiers to the federal army. The federal peacetime army, as established by the Federal Congress in 1829, consisted of three infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and one cavalry regiment. By 1831, only 800 federal soldiers remained;
7065-656: The Federal Congress, since its rulings were subject to Federal Congress review. The Federal Republic of Central America found it difficult to maintain its federal army. Before Central American independence, few Central Americans pursued a military career. Guatemalan historian Manuel Montúfar y Coronado wrote that "military influence was unknown in Central America; before Independence, there was no military career" (" el influjo militar fue desconocido en Centro América; antes de la Independencia, no había carrera militar "). The Central American federal army originated as rebel groups who resisted annexation to Mexico in 1822 and 1823, and
7222-670: The Federal Congress; the liberals began impeachment proceedings against him on 2 June 1826. Salvadoran liberals, still loyal to Arce, did not attend the impeachment proceedings and prevented the congress from reaching the quorum necessary to begin them. Ten days later, the Guatemalan liberals abandoned their impeachment attempt. Arce sent federal soldiers to arrest Raoul in July 1826, accusing him of insubordination by sending letters to Arce calling for his resignation. Juan Barrundia sought to defend Raoul and sent 300 Guatemalan soldiers to arrest
7379-630: The Federal District around the city on 7 February 1835 in accordance with article 65 of the federal constitution, which called for a federal district in the country's capital when "circumstances permitted". The district covered a 20-mile (32 km) radius around San Salvador and extended 10 miles (16 km) south to the Pacific Ocean. All federal-government offices relocated to the Federal District. El Salvador temporarily moved its state government from San Salvador to Cojutepeque before permanently relocating to San Vicente on 21 September. During
7536-631: The Guatemalan conservatives and that would establish a centralized government. Arce called for an extraordinary congress to convene in Cojutepeque on 10 October to reestablish constitutional order, since the Federal Congress consistently failed to reach a quorum after Juan Barrundia's arrest. The call for an extraordinary congress was unconstitutional, because it exceeded Arce's presidential duties. On 6 December, in response to Arce's call for an extraordinary congress, Mariano Prado (the liberal acting governor of El Salvador) called for delegates from all
7693-669: The Honduran capital of Comayagua on 10 May 1827 after a 36-day siege, and captured Herrera. Francisco Morazán —secretary general of Honduras in 1824, a Honduran state senator, and a military officer—was captured shortly afterwards in Tegucigalpa ; Morazán escaped and fled to Nicaragua, where he rallied an army of Honduran exiles to oppose Arce. his forces were supported by Nicaraguan rebels led by Ordóñez, who launched an anti-Arce rebellion in León. Morazán's army defeated Milla's army at
7850-460: The Pacific Ocean. This was the third Spanish population founded in the territories that currently constitute El Salvador , although, it is worth clarifying, during the entire period of Spanish domination of America , Sonsonate was the capital of the Mayor's Office of Sonsonate, a territory apart from the one administered by San Salvador , today the capital of El Salvador. On the other hand, one of
8007-474: The Pacific coast claimed by Central America and Mexico over which neither had full control) to reclaim the presidency. General Ramón Guzmán, mayor of the Honduran city of Omoa , declared a state of rebellion in November 1831, raised a Spanish flag in the city, and sent ships to Cuba to ask for support from conservative archbishop Ramón Casaus y Torres [ es ] (exiled by Morazán in 1829). This
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#17327725942388164-583: The Salvadoran left had formed the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front , or FMLN. By the end of the 1970s, government-contracted death squads were killing about 10 people each day. Meanwhile, the FMLN had 6,000 to 8,000 active guerrillas and hundreds of thousands of part-time militia, supporters, and sympathizers. The U.S. supported and financed the creation of a second junta to change the political environment and stop
8321-424: The Spaniards and what was left of their Tlaxcalan allies, forcing them to withdraw to Guatemala. After being wounded, Alvarado abandoned the war and appointed his brother, Gonzalo de Alvarado , to continue the task. Two subsequent expeditions (the first in 1525, followed by a smaller group in 1528) brought the Pipil under Spanish control, since the Pipil also were weakened by a regional epidemic of smallpox. In 1525,
8478-401: The Spaniards recognized the richness of the land's volcanic soil. Following this discovery, the Spanish crown began granting land based on the terms of the encomienda system. Pedro Alvarado led the first incursion to extend their dominion to the domain of Cuzcatlan in June 1524. When he arrived at the borders of the kingdom, he saw that civilians had been evacuated. Cuzcatlec warriors moved to
8635-541: The Spanish Crown. The most important internal factors were the desire of local elites to control the country's affairs free of involvement from Spanish authorities, and the long-standing Creole aspiration for independence. The main external factors motivating the independence movement were the success of the French and American revolutions in the 18th century, and the weakening of the Spanish Crown's military power as
8792-516: The United Nations ending the 12-year civil war. This event, held at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico, was attended by U.N. dignitaries and other representatives of the international community. After signing the armistice, the president stood and shook hands with the newly ex-guerrilla commanders, an action which was widely admired. The so-called Chapultepec Peace Accords mandated reductions in
8949-472: The United Provinces of Central America. The following day, the congress reorganized as the National Constituent Assembly and tasked itself with drafting a constitution for newly-independent Central America. José Matías Delgado was Central America's provisional president until 10 July 1823, when the National Constituent Assembly appointed a triumvirate [ es ] consisting of Arce, Juan Vicente Villacorta and Pedro Molina Mazariegos . Since Arce
9106-800: The United States , the United States Declaration of Independence , and the Spanish Constitution of 1812. On 22 November, the constitution was formally adopted after all 64 members of the assembly signed it. The National Constituent Assembly dissolved itself on 23 January 1825, and was succeeded by the Federal Congress on 6 February. On 14 September 1823, Captain Rafael Ariza y Torres began an insurrection in Guatemala City (the capital city) because
9263-509: The United States. From 1980 through 2008, nearly one million Salvadorans immigrated to the United States, such that by 2008, they were the sixth largest immigrant group in the US. El Salvador's economy has historically been dominated by agriculture, beginning with the Spanish taking control of the indigenous cacao crop in the 16th century, with production centred in Izalco , along with balsam from
9420-449: The Viceroyalty of New Spain had little to no influence in the daily affairs of the isthmus, which was colonized in 1524. In 1609, the area was declared the Captaincy General of Guatemala by the Spanish, which included the territory that would become El Salvador until its independence from Spain in 1821. It was forcibly incorporated into the First Mexican Empire , then seceded, joining the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823. When
9577-429: The army to raise 10,000 soldiers to defend their country against a European invasion. The Congress of Deputies approved Arce's plan; the Senate vetoed it, however, citing a lack of funding. In mid-1826, Arce reduced his troop requirement to 4,000. Guatemalan liberals in the Federal Congress contacted French military officer Nicolás Raoul [ es ] to help draft a military code to prevent Arce from controlling
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#17327725942389734-452: The assembly was functioning. On 12 October 1823, Rivas determined that the National Constituent Assembly was suppressing civil liberties and marched back into the city. On 17 October, believing that Rivas was acting on behalf of El Salvador, 200 soldiers from Quetzaltenango arrived in Guatemala City and skirmished with his forces. After a few days, the assembly drafted an agreement to appease both sides. Rivas' forces withdrew to El Salvador, and
9891-511: The capital's temporary relocation to Sonsonate as a threat. After nearly all of the Salvadoran state assembly resigned on 15 May 1834 due to rising tensions between San Martín and Morazán, San Martín announced his intention to resign; however, he retained his gubernatorial powers. In late May, Morazán invaded El Salvador to force San Martín out of office. Morazán captured San Salvador on 6 June, and San Martín resigned six days later. San Martín
10048-462: The central and western regions of El Salvador. The Nahua Pipil were the last indigenous people to arrive in El Salvador. They called their territory Kuskatan , a Nawat word meaning "The Place of Precious Jewels," back-formed into Classical Nahuatl Cōzcatlān , and as Cuzcatlán . It was the largest domain in Salvadoran territory up until European contact. The term Cuzcatleco is commonly used to identify someone of Salvadoran heritage, although
10205-494: The church to reduce the number of priests and nuns in the country. Morazán ran for president in the 1830 federal election . Although he finished first, with 202 electoral votes, he did not win a majority. Similar to 1825, the Federal Congress was given the authority to elect the president; the liberal-dominated congress voted for Morazán, and he took office on 16 September. The Federal Congress elected liberal Mariano Prado as Morazán's vice president. In May 1829, Morazán sent
10362-715: The civil war and Cornejo earlier in 1832. Prado imposed a tax to help raise funds for the state government. The tax was unpopular with Salvadorans – particularly indigenous Salvadorans, who saw it as a restoration of tribute to the white population that was abolished in 1811. San Salvador rebelled against Prado on 24 October, forcing his government to temporarily move to Cojutepeque. Similar rebellions against Prado broke out in Ahuachapán, Chalatenango , Izalco , San Miguel , Tejutla and Zacatecoluca , but were quickly suppressed by Salvadoran soldiers. On 14 February 1833, indigenous laborer Anastasio Aquino launched
10519-421: The coastal city of Acajutla and waited for Alvarado and his forces. Alvarado approached, confident that the result would be similar to what occurred in Mexico and Guatemala. He thought he would easily deal with this new indigenous force since the Mexican allies on his side and the Pipil spoke a similar language. Alvarado described the Cuzcatlec soldiers as having shields decorated with colourful exotic feathers,
10676-623: The colonial period, San Salvador and San Miguel were part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala ( Spanish : Reino de Guatemala ), created in 1609 as an administrative division of New Spain . The Salvadoran territory was administered by the mayor of Sonsonate, with San Salvador being established as an intendencia in 1786. In 1811, a combination of internal and external factors motivated Central American elites to attempt to gain independence from
10833-439: The conquest of Cuzcatlán was completed and the city of San Salvador was established. The Spanish faced much resistance from the Pipil and were not able to reach eastern El Salvador, the area of the Lencas. In 1526 the Spanish founded the garrison town of San Miguel in northern Managuara—territory of the Lenca, headed by another explorer and conquistador, Luis de Moscoso Alvarado , nephew of Pedro Alvarado. Oral history holds that
10990-439: The country as the Federated States of Central America ( Estados Federados del Centro de América ). The federal republic has also been referred to as the Federation of Central America ( Federación de Centro América ). The Spanish conquered Central America in the 16th century. The region was divided into several audiencias (jurisdictions) until, in 1542, it was organized into a single audiencia extending north to
11147-412: The country in 1979 to enter politics after working on projects in Venezuela as an engineer. On 15 October 1979, a coup d'état brought the Revolutionary Government Junta (JRG) to power. It nationalized many private companies and took over much privately owned land. The purpose of this new junta was to stop the revolutionary movement already underway in response to Duarte's stolen election. Nevertheless,
11304-493: The country's first president . Arce subsequently aligned himself with the country's conservatives due to liberal opposition to the concessions he granted conservatives to secure his election as president. The republic was politically unstable, experiencing civil wars, rebellions, and insurrections by liberals and conservatives. From 1827 to 1829, it fell into a civil war between conservatives who supported Arce and liberals who opposed him. Liberal politician Francisco Morazán led
11461-523: The country. Liberal rebels in El Salvador, led by Delgado and Arce, resisted two invasions by Filísola in 1822 and 1823. The former ended with an armistice and Mexican withdrawal; the latter resulted in Filísola overthrowing Delgado as the political leader of El Salvador (forcing Arce to flee to the United States) and capturing the city of San Salvador . General José Anacleto Ordóñez launched
11618-510: The definite form "El Salvador", The Savior, again a reference to Jesus, rather than Salvador. The legislature reaffirmed the country's name as El Salvador with another law passed in 1958. During the Pleistocene El Salvador was inhabited by now extinct megafauna species, including the elephant-sized giant ground sloth Eremotherium , the rhinoceros-like Mixotoxodon , the gomphothere (elephant-relative) Cuvieronius ,
11775-655: The early 1990s brought major benefits in terms of improved social conditions, diversification of the export sector, and access to international financial markets at investment grade level. Crime remains a major problem for the investment climate. Early in the new millennium, El Salvador's government created the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales — the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) — in response to climate change concerns. In March 2014, former FMLN guerrilla leader Cerén narrowly won
11932-430: The election and retained the presidency; on 2 June, the federal government called for a new presidential election the following year. On 2 February 1835, the electoral college re-elected Morazán as Central America's president and José Gregorio Salazar as Morazán's vice president; they were sworn in on 14 February. On 30 May 1838, the Federal Congress convened and declared that each of the federal republic's five states
12089-500: The fall of Iturbide on 19 March 1823, the army decamped back to Mexico. Shortly thereafter, the authorities of the provinces revoked the vote to join Mexico, deciding instead to form a federal union of the five remaining provinces (Chiapas permanently joined Mexico at this juncture) known as the Federal Republic of Central America . El Salvador declared its independence from the Federal Republic of Central America on 30 January 1841. El Salvador joined Honduras and Nicaragua in 1896 to form
12246-434: The federal constitution, the government of the Federal Republic of Central America was "popular, representative, and federal". All elected officials were appointed with indirect elections ; voters chose electors who would vote on their behalf, rather than voting directly for candidates seeking public office. In presidential, vice-presidential and legislative elections, there were three rounds of voting; voters chose electors in
12403-480: The federal government still occupied the state's government buildings. After Juan Barrundia threatened to raise an army to "contain the despotism of a tyrant" (referring to Arce), the Federal Congress agreed to vacate the building used by the federal treasury and give it to the Guatemalan state government. In August 1825, in response to the arrival of 28 French warships in the Caribbean Sea , Arce called for
12560-453: The federal government was unable to repay its foreign loans, despite favorable terms. Central America's economic troubles were caused in part by the federal government inability to collect taxes and inadequate interstate infrastructure. Central American politicians, writers, and intellectuals have called for the reunification of Central America since the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America. There have been several attempts by
12717-621: The federal republic in February 1831 after recognizing Morazán as Central America's president and renouncing its declaration of secession. Morazán defeated July 1829 rebellions in Honduras and Nicaragua, and a rebellion in Honduras in January 1830. In May 1832, Prado resigned as vice president of Central America to become the governor of El Salvador; however, he was not popular among El Salvador's residents for helping Morazán overthrow Arce in
12874-407: The federal republic in January 1832. The federal government moved the national capital from Guatemala City to the Salvadoran city of Sonsonate on 5 February 1834, but Salvadoran politicians did not want it to move the capital to the city. Salvadoran Governor Joaquín de San Martín believed that Morazán's moving the federal capital to San Salvador was an attempt to remove him as governor, and saw
13031-564: The federal republic on 7 January 1832. On 24 February 1832, Raoul led federal soldiers into Soconusco and fought Arce's rebel army in the town of Escuintla . He defeated Arce's outnumbered army, and the victorious soldiers looted the town. After this defeat, Arce fled back to Mexico. Morazán invaded El Salvador in mid-March and captured San Salvador on 28 March, proclaiming himself the provisional governor of El Salvador on 3 April. Cornejo and 38 other Salvadoran political leaders were arrested and imprisoned in Guatemala for their involvement in
13188-413: The federal republic until the federal constitution was reformed. That month, Costa Rica proposed establishing a National Constituent Assembly to pass a constitutional reform; th assembly began on 20 April 1833. On 13 February 1835, the Federal Congress approved constitutional reforms drafted by the National Constituent Assembly. The reforms were minor, and only Nicaragua (which renounced its secession after
13345-408: The federal republic. In response to Barrundia's arrest, Lieutenant Governor Cirilo Flores [ es ] moved the Guatemalan state government to Quetzaltenango and passed several anti-clerical laws. An indigenous mob, spurred by conservatives and the church, attacked and killed Cirilo on 13 October for passing the laws. Arce invaded Quetzaltenango and defeated those who continued to support
13502-445: The federal soldiers' commander, arguing that the federal government needed a state governor's permission to move soldiers within a state. When Arce sought to formally condemn Juan Barrundia, liberal Guatemalan senators boycotted the meeting and the Senate failed to reach the quorum necessary to condemn Barrundia. Despite Senate inaction, Arce had Barrundia arrested and removed from office on 6 September for attempting to conspire against
13659-469: The federation dissolved in 1841, El Salvador became a sovereign state, then formed a short-lived union with Honduras and Nicaragua called the Greater Republic of Central America , which lasted from 1896 to 1898. From the late 19th to the mid-20th century, El Salvador endured chronic political and economic instability characterized by coups, revolts, and a succession of authoritarian rulers. Persistent socioeconomic inequality and civil unrest culminated in
13816-459: The first round, electors voted for a further set of electors in the second round, and those electors voted for candidates seeking public office in the third round. Voting was compulsory. The federal republic's government was divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches, with no term limits. The Federal Congress was its bicameral legislative branch. The Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) consisted of 41 deputies allocated across
13973-497: The following day, ending the civil war. After capturing Guatemala City in April 1828, Beltranena was removed from the presidency; Morazán became the de facto president of Central America, but did not officially assume office. On 22 June 1829, Morazán appointed a new Federal Congress. It elected José Francisco Barrundia, the Senate's senior member, as Central America's interim president three days later. At Morazán's instruction,
14130-532: The following year, in 1553, this villa would be transferred to its current location, with the name of "Villa de la Santísima Trinidad de Sonsonate", in a cocoa -producing area. With the passage of time, the town would be known simply by the name of Sonsonate. This name was taken from the Rio Grande or Sonsonate in the Nahuat language, which crosses it from north to south across the entire plain until it flows into
14287-473: The garrison. For ten years the Lencas prevented the Spanish from building a permanent settlement. Then the Spanish returned with more soldiers, including about 2,000 forced conscripts from indigenous communities in Guatemala. They pursued the Lenca leaders further up into the mountains of Intibucá . Antu Silan Ulap eventually handed over control of the Lenca resistance to Lempira (also called Empira). Lempira
14444-546: The government of Martínez, which agreed to hold presidential elections. He resigned six months prior to running for re-election, winning back the presidency as the only candidate on the ballot. He ruled from 1935 to 1939, then from 1939 to 1943. He began a fourth term in 1944 but resigned in May after a general strike. Martínez had said he was going to respect the constitution, which stipulated he could not be re-elected, but he refused to keep his promise. Beginning in January 1932, there
14601-405: The land was divided into the province of San Salvador, which means "Holy Savior"; a Spanish title for Jesus . From 1579 that also including the province of San Miguel (Saint Michael). San Salvador would become, throughout the colonial era, an alcaldía mayor (great mayor's office), intendancy, and finally a province with a provincial council, and the province of Izalcos (which would become be called
14758-466: The left-wing party to win presidential elections led to its selection of a journalist rather than a former guerrilla leader as a candidate. On 15 March 2009, Mauricio Funes , a television figure, became the first president from the FMLN. He was inaugurated on 1 June 2009. One focus of the Funes government has been revealing the alleged corruption from the past government. ARENA formally expelled Saca from
14915-415: The liberals to victory, and was elected president in 1830. The republic descended into a second civil war from 1838 to 1840, by the end of which the states of Central America declared independence and the federal republic ceased to exist. Historians have attributed the country's political instability to its federal system of government and its economic struggles. Agricultural exports were insufficient and
15072-652: The main cultural attractions of this city is the celebration of Holy Week , which is considered part of the religious heritage of the country, thus recognized by decree of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador since 2013. In the first historical reports on Sonsonate, reference was made to the fact that the city had taken the name of the Sensunat river, which was interpreted as "four hundred waters". Fray Francisco Vásquez, for his part, interpreted it as "four hundred eyes of water." For Santiago I. Barberena ,
15229-504: The majority of the eastern population has an indigenous heritage of Lenca origin, as do their place names such as Intipuca , Chirilagua , and Lolotique . Most of the archaeological sites in western El Salvador such as Lago de Guija and Joya De Ceren indicate a pre-Columbian Mayan culture. Cihuatan shows signs of material trade with northern Nahua culture, eastern Mayan and Lenca culture, and southern Nicaraguan and Costa Rican indigenous culture. Tazumal 's smaller B1-2 structure shows
15386-469: The manufacturing sector. The colón , the currency of El Salvador since 1892, was replaced by the United States dollar in 2001. As of 2019 economic improvements had led to El Salvador experiencing the lowest level of income inequality among nearby countries. Among 77 countries included in a 2021 study, El Salvador had one of the least complex economies for doing business. After the Spanish conquest ,
15543-488: The mayor's office of Sonsonate). In 1824 the two jurisdictions were united in the State of Salvador, a part of the Federal Republic of Central America . After the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America, the country was referred to as the "Republic of Salvador" ( República del Salvador ), but in 1915, the Legislative Assembly passed a law which officially stated that the country's name should be rendered as
15700-640: The meantime, the guerrilla movement was spreading to all sectors of Salvadoran society. Middle and high school students were organized in MERS (Movimiento Estudiantil Revolucionario de Secundaria, Revolutionary Movement of Secondary Students); college students were involved with AGEUS (Asociacion de Estudiantes Universitarios Salvadorenos; Association of Salvadoran College Students); and workers were organized in BPR (Bloque Popular Revolucionario, Popular Revolutionary Block). In October 1980, several other major guerrilla groups of
15857-565: The middle class and the latter the interests of the Salvadoran military. PDC leader José Napoleón Duarte was the mayor of San Salvador from 1964 to 1970, winning three elections during the regime of PCN president, Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo , who allowed free elections for mayors and the National Assembly. Duarte later ran for president with a political grouping called the National Opposing Union (UNO) but
16014-467: The military, and Arce expelled Raoul from the country. Eventually, Arce and the Federal Congress compromised; the congress approved the raising of 4,000 soldiers, and Raoul oversaw recruitment. Despite a minor rebellion in Costa Rica led by José Zamora, who called himself a "vassal of the king of Spain", the feared European invasion did not take place. As the liberals tried to circumvent his role as commander-in-chief, Arce refused to implement laws passed by
16171-786: The nature and effects of the violence, and...recommend methods of promoting national reconciliation". In 1993 the Commission delivered its findings reporting human rights violations on both sides of the conflict. Five days later the Salvadoran legislature passed an amnesty law for all acts of violence during the period. From 1989 until 2004, Salvadorans favoured the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), voting in ARENA presidents in every election ( Alfredo Cristiani , Armando Calderón Sol , Francisco Flores Pérez , Antonio Saca ) until 2009. The unsuccessful attempts of
16328-474: The new president of El Salvador. Bukele was the winner of February 2019 presidential election . He represented GANA, as he was denied participating with the newly formed Nuevas Ideas party. ARENA and the FMLN, El Salvador's two main parties, had dominated politics in El Salvador over the past three decades. Federal Republic of Central America The Federal Republic of Central America ( Spanish : República Federal de Centro América ), initially known as
16485-492: The oligarchy opposed agrarian reform , and a junta formed with young reformist elements from the army such as Colonels Adolfo Arnoldo Majano and Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez , as well as with progressives such as Guillermo Ungo and Alvarez. Pressure from the oligarchy soon dissolved the junta because of its inability to control the army in its repression of the people fighting for unionization rights, agrarian reform, better wages, accessible health care and freedom of expression. In
16642-502: The party in December 2009. With 12 loyalists in the National Assembly, Saca established his own party, the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA), and entered into a tactical legislative alliance with the FMLN. After three years in office, with Saca's GANA party providing the FMLN with a legislative majority, Funes had not taken action to either investigate or to bring corrupt former officials to justice. Economic reforms since
16799-430: The passage of anti- vagrancy laws to ensure that displaced campesinos and other rural residents provided sufficient labour for the coffee fincas (plantations), and the suppression of rural discontent. In 1912, the national guard was created as a rural police force. In 1898, General Tomas Regalado gained power by force, deposing Rafael Antonio Gutiérrez and ruling as president until 1903. Once in office he revived
16956-501: The practice of presidents designating their successors. After serving his term, he remained active in the Army of El Salvador and was killed on 11 July 1906, at El Jicaro, during a war against Guatemala . Until 1913 El Salvador was politically stable, with undercurrents of popular discontent. When President Manuel Enrique Araujo was killed in 1913, many hypotheses were advanced for the political motive of his murder. Araujo's administration
17113-525: The president to veto laws passed by the Federal Congress, abolishing the electoral college and implementing direct elections, and restricting eligibility to hold office to landowners. The arrest of these conservatives after Morazán's military victory in El Salvador in 1832 led political leaders across the federal republic to call for political reforms. Nicaragua declared independence on 3 December 1832, citing fears of federal authoritarianism after Morazán's invasion of El Salvador, and said that it would not rejoin
17270-402: The president, it could also review Supreme Court rulings. One-third of the Senate's members were elected every year. The Council of Deputies could override a Senate legislative veto with a two-thirds majority, or a three-fourths majority for tax legislation. From 1824 to 1838, there were a total of 11 congressional terms. The president led the executive branch. Elected to a four-year term, he
17427-418: The ranges of La Libertad and Ahuachapán . This was followed by a boom in use of the indigo plant in the 19th century, mainly for its use as a dye. Thereafter the focus shifted to coffee , which by the early 20th century accounted for 90% of export earnings. El Salvador has since reduced its dependence on coffee and embarked on diversifying its economy by opening up trade and financial links and expanding
17584-541: The rebellion were defeated by the Liberation Army in San Vicente and Zacatecoluca, but Aquino's army was defeated in battle by Morazán in San Vicente on 28 February. This ended the rebellion; Aquino was captured in April and executed on 24 July, with his body publicly displayed in San Vicente. In 1831, Salvadoran conservatives called for political reforms in the federal government. Reforms included allowing
17741-516: The rebellion. Honduran soldiers under Colonel Francisco Ferrera began a siege of Omoa in March, recaptured Trujillo in April, and recaptured Opoteca in May. Reaching the Central American coast, Guzmán's Spanish reinforcements were arrested by Honduran soldiers. He continued to resist federal forces in Omoa until 12 September, when his soldiers mutinied and turned him over to federal custody. This ended
17898-440: The rebellion; Guzmán was executed the following day, and Domínguez (captured by federal forces during the fall of Opoteca) was executed on 14 September. On 1 April 1829, Costa Rica seceded from the Federal Republic of Central America "without separating itself" (" sin separarse ") from the federal republic. The Costa Rican government justified its secession by saying that the federal government had ceased to exist. It rejoined
18055-457: The reforms were completed) and Costa Rica ratified them. Morazán and the Federal Congress wanted to move the national capital from Guatemala City beginning in 1830, since they wanted the capital in a better defensive position and the federal government felt that the city's residents hated it due to the civil war. Morazán wanted to move the capital to San Salvador, but conservative Salvadoran political leaders resisted his proposal and seceded from
18212-506: The region until a permanent government could be established. Most government administrators, including Brigadier General Gabino Gaínza (the final captain general of Guatemala), retained their positions. After independence, Central American leaders were ideologically divided about whether to remain independent or to join the First Mexican Empire; monarchists supported annexation, opposed by republicans and nationalists. Mexican Regent (and later Mexican Emperor ) Agustín de Iturbide asked
18369-411: The remnants of Cirilo's government on 28 October. In October 1826, Arce called for a special election to install a new Guatemalan government; the conservatives won, and Mariano Aycinena became governor of Guatemala on 1 March 1827. After the election, many liberals fled Guatemala for El Salvador in search of assistance from its liberals to regain power. They spread rumors that Arce was controlled by
18526-567: The republic's successor states during the 19th and 20th centuries to reunify Central America through diplomatic and military means, but none succeeded in uniting all five former members for more than one year. All five former members of the Federal Republic of Central America are members of the Central American Integration System (SICA), an economic and political organization that promotes regional development. The country's initial name, adopted at independence from
18683-475: The second triumvirate sent Colonel Manuel Arzú to attempt to mediate peace between the liberals and conservatives. The mediation failed, and Arce led a federal invasion of Nicaragua on 22 January 1825 to end the civil conflict. His invading force got the liberals and conservatives to sign an armistice without engaging in combat. Arce dissolved both rival governments, and their leaders were exiled from Nicaragua. The federal republic's first presidential election
18840-648: The site of La Laguna in Usulutan has also produced Copador items that link it to the Lenca-Maya trade route. By 1521, the indigenous population of the Mesoamerican area had been drastically reduced by the smallpox epidemic that was spreading throughout the territory, although it had not yet reached pandemic levels in Cuzcatlán or the northern portion Managuara. The first known visit by Spaniards to what
18997-731: The situation, and forced the triumvirate to resign on 6 October. They installed a second, less-liberal triumvirate [ es ] consisting of Arce, José Cecilio del Valle , and Tomás O'Horan . Since Arce and Valle were outside the country when the second triumvirate was formed, José Santiago Milla and Villacorta were substitutes. Valle and Arce did not sit on the triumvirate until February and March 1824, respectively. The second triumvirate ordered Rivas to march 150 soldiers into Guatemala City and, soon afterwards, Ariza fled into exile in Mexico. The National Constituent Assembly then returned to Guatemala City. The Salvadoran government ordered Rivas to remain near Guatemala City and verify that
19154-794: The size of the army, and the dissolution of the National Police, the Treasury Police, the National Guard and the Civilian Defence, a paramilitary group. A new Civil Police was to be organized. Judicial immunity for crimes committed by the armed forces ended; the government agreed to submit to the recommendations of a Commission on the Truth for El Salvador (Comisión de la Verdad Para El Salvador) , which would "investigate serious acts of violence occurring since 1980, and
19311-438: The soldiers from Quetzaltenango returned home. Liberals and conservatives had been fighting for control of Nicaragua since Ordóñez launched his rebellion against the pro-Mexico Nicaraguan government in 1823. The liberals had control of León (the liberal capital) and Granada , and the conservatives controlled Managua (the conservative capital), Rivas and Chinandega . Clashes resulted in hundreds of deaths. In October 1824,
19468-602: The spread of a leftist insurrection. Napoleón Duarte was recalled from his exile in Venezuela to head this new junta. However, a revolution was already underway and his new role as head of the junta was seen by the general population as opportunistic. He was unable to influence the outcome of the insurrection. Óscar Romero , the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Salvador, denounced injustices and massacres committed against civilians by government forces. He
19625-464: The state militias had more soldiers and were better funded and equipped. During the 1830s, the federal army's military supremacy over the state militias relied on the discipline of its soldiers and public perception that a caudillo -like figure led the federal army. In 1836, Morazán said that the federal army had been reduced to "a handful of ancient veterans that have survived the greatest dangers" (" un puñado de antiguos veteranos que han sobrevivido
19782-585: The states except Guatemala to convene their own extraordinary congress in Ahuachapán . Ultimately, neither congress convened. Prado ordered Salvadoran soldiers to the El Salvador–Guatemala border in late December 1826 to prepare to overthrow Arce. Aycinena declared leading Guatemalan liberals, including Molina Mazariegos and Rivera Cabezas, as outlaws in Guatemala in early March 1827. Prado ordered his soldiers to invade Guatemala in response, beginning
19939-548: The states, with one deputy per 30,000 people. Each deputy was accompanied by a supplement deputy. Half of the Chamber of Deputies' members were elected annually. The Senate (the upper house) consisted of two senators from each state, for a total of ten senators. The Senate, which first met on 24 April 1825, acted as a de facto executive council that approved legislation passed by the Council of Deputies. An advisory body to
20096-734: The status of a state. Although Guatemala claimed Belize as part of its territory, coastal Belize was occupied by the British . Guatemala and Mexico claimed sovereignty over Soconusco, but neither had full control of the region. Portions of Soconusco were effectively independent, but its leaders preferred union with Central America. Central America bordered the Mosquito Coast on the Caribbean, which it claimed as part of its territory. The Federal Republic of Central America covered approximately 200,000 square miles (520,000 km ) and spanned about 900 miles (1,400 km) north to south between
20253-415: The use of Marxist–Leninist ideology. In December 1930, at the height of the country's economic and social depression, Martí was once again exiled because of his popularity among the nation's poor and rumours of his upcoming nomination for president the following year. Once Araujo was elected president in 1931, Martí returned to El Salvador and, along with Alfonso Luna and Mario Zapata, began the movement that
20410-617: The votes of conservative senators by promising to allow the Federal Congress to decide if a Catholic archdiocese would be created in El Salvador; the conservatives opposed the archdiocese because Delgado, a liberal symbol of Salvadoran independence, would have become archbishop. The liberals considered Arce's compromise with the conservatives as betraying his liberal positions. Liberals Molina Mazariegos and Mariano Gálvez refused to accept cabinet appointments as secretary of relations and secretary of finance, respectively, due to this perceived betrayal. Arce appointed conservatives to his cabinet as
20567-552: The western part of the country, killing an estimated 2,000 people. The government suppressed the rebellion brutally, killing between 10,000 and 40,000 people, mostly, Pipil peasants. Many of the rebellion's leaders, including Ama and Martí, were captured and executed. Historically, the high Salvadoran population density has contributed to tensions with neighbouring Honduras , as land-poor Salvadorans emigrated to less densely populated Honduras and established themselves as squatters on unused or underused land. This phenomenon
20724-455: The word is of Nahuat origin where Sentzunti means four hundred and At is water having its place name: Sentzunhat. Historically, the area was a producer of cotton. Most of the cotton produced, as of 1850, was retained for local use. Today, tobacco farming, cattle ranching and tourism (volcanos, coral reef) are important industries. [REDACTED] Media related to Sonsonate at Wikimedia Commons This El Salvador location article
20881-410: Was annexed by the First Mexican Empire in January 1822 before regaining its independence and forming a federal republic in 1823. The Federal Republic of Central America adopted its constitution , based on that of the federal government of the United States , in November 1824. It held its first presidential election in April 1825 , during which liberal politician Manuel José Arce was elected as
21038-487: Was General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez . In December 1931, a coup d'état was organized by junior officers and led by Martínez. Only the First Regiment of Cavalry and the National Police defended the presidency (the National Police had been on its payroll), but later that night, after hours of fighting, the badly outnumbered defenders surrendered to rebel forces. The Directorate, composed of officers, hid behind
21195-645: Was a major cause of the 1969 Football War between the two countries. As many as 130,000 Salvadorans were forcibly expelled or fled from Honduras. The Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and the National Conciliation Party (PCN) were active in Salvadoran politics from 1960 until 2011, when they were disbanded by the Supreme Court because they had failed to win enough votes in the 2004 presidential election. Both parties have since reconstituted. They share common ideals, but one represents
21352-549: Was brutal suppression of a rural revolt known as La Matanza . In the unstable political climate of the previous few years, social activist and revolutionary leader Farabundo Martí helped found the Communist Party of Central America, and led a communist alternative to the Red Cross, called " International Red Aid ", serving as one of its representatives. Their goal was to help poor and underprivileged Salvadorans through
21509-454: Was considered "the voice of the voiceless", but he was assassinated by a death squad while saying Mass on 24 March 1980. Some consider this to be the beginning of the full Salvadoran Civil War , which lasted from 1980 to 1992. An unknown number of people "disappeared" during the conflict, and the UN reports that more than 75,000 were killed. The Salvadoran Army 's US-trained Atlácatl Battalion
21666-430: Was defeated in the 1972 presidential elections. He lost to the ex-minister of interior, Colonel Arturo Armando Molina , in an election that was widely viewed as fraudulent; Molina was declared the winner even though Duarte was said to have received a majority of the votes. Duarte, at some army officers' requests, supported a revolt to protest the election fraud, but was captured, tortured and later exiled. Duarte returned to
21823-456: Was followed by a second conservative invasion force, led by Colonel Vicente Domínguez [ es ] , that entered Central America from British Honduras and supported Guzmán's rebellion and invaded inland Honduras . The Honduran cities of Opoteca and Trujillo also declared themselves in a state of rebellion. José María Cornejo , the conservative governor of El Salvador, supported Arce's invasion and declared El Salvador's secession from
21980-489: Was followed by the Melendez-Quinonez dynasty that lasted from 1913 to 1927. Pio Romero Bosque , ex-minister of the government and a trusted collaborator of the dynasty, succeeded President Jorge Meléndez , and in 1930 announced free elections, in which Arturo Araujo came to power on 1 March 1931, in what was considered the country's first freely contested election. His government lasted only nine months before it
22137-449: Was free to establish any form of republican government. Nicaragua seceded from the Federal Republic of Central America on 30 April 1838. Honduras did the same on 26 October, followed by Costa Rica on 15 November. On 2 February 1839, all of Central America's federally-elected government officials (including Morazán) left office. They had no successors, since no federal election was held. On 17 April, Guatemalan President Rafael Carrera issued
22294-405: Was held on 21 April 1825. Arce was the liberals' candidate, and Valle the conservatives' choice. During the election, 41 of the 82 electors voted for Valle; 34 voted for Arce, four voted for other candidates, and three did not vote due to complications in receiving votes from their electoral districts. No candidate received a majority; the constitution required a majority, and the Federal Congress
22451-577: Was in the United States when the triumvirate was established, Antonio Rivera Cabezas was appointed as his substitute. The three rotated executive power on a monthly basis. Initially, the National Constituent Assembly was composed of delegates from El Salvador and Guatemala; Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua did not send their delegates until October 1823, refusing to send them until Mexican soldiers withdrew from Central America. The National Constituent Assembly consisted of 64 delegates, distributed across Central America. The National Constituent Assembly
22608-568: Was later truncated by the military. On 22 January 1932, thousands of poorly armed peasants in the western part of El Salvador revolted against the government and Martínez. The rebellion occurred amid widespread unrest over suppression of democratic political freedoms following the cancelation of the results of the 1932 legislative election. The rebels were led by Feliciano Ama and Farabundo Martí and were largely composed of indigenous people and communists. The rebellion made gains initially, capturing several towns and cities across
22765-494: Was launched in 1814, which was also suppressed. In 1821, in light of unrest in Guatemala, Spanish authorities capitulated and signed the Act of Independence of Central America , which released all of the Captaincy General of Guatemala (comprising current territories of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the Mexican state of Chiapas ) from Spanish rule and declared its independence. In 1821, El Salvador joined Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in
22922-542: Was not formally established as a political entity until 1829. Although the president was commander-in-chief of the federal army, only the Federal Congress had the authority to raise and maintain armies and to declare war and peace. In July 1823, the Central American federal army had 10,000 soldiers. The legislature increased the size of the federal army to 11,800 soldiers in December of that year, organized into two light battalions, two squadrons, and one artillery brigade. The federal army established defensive garrisons along
23079-477: Was noteworthy among indigenous leaders in that he mocked the Spanish by wearing their clothes after capturing them and using their weapons captured in battle. Lempira fought in command of thousands of Lenca forces for six more years in Managuara until he was killed in battle. The remaining Lenca forces retreated into the hills. The Spanish were then able to rebuild their garrison town of San Miguel in 1537. During
23236-437: Was overthrown by junior military officers who accused his Labor Party of lacking political and governmental experience and of using its government offices inefficiently. President Araujo faced general popular discontent, as the people had expected economic reforms and the redistribution of land. There were demonstrations in front of the National Palace from the first week of his administration. His vice president and minister of war
23393-687: Was overthrown in 1808 by the French emperor Napoleon , who installed his brother Joseph as king of Spain . Spain's colonies in the Americas (including the Captaincy General of Guatemala) did not recognize Joseph as the legitimate king and established provisional governments, known as juntas , which continued to recognize Ferdinand as king. Although the Central American colonial government remained loyal to Ferdinand, some criollo leaders in Central America wanted greater autonomy. In November 1811, José Matías Delgado and Manuel José Arce launched
23550-613: Was relatively weak in comparison with other contemporary Latin American presidents, particularly because he could not veto or pocket veto legislation, could not send legislation back to the Federal Congress for reconsideration, and was required to enact all laws passed by the Federal Congress within fifteen days. The authors of the federal constitution sought to oppose a caudillo -like president with dictatorial powers by implementing checks on presidential power to ensure legislative supremacy. Rodrigo Facio Brenes [ es ] ,
23707-468: Was relocated to San Salvador . The Federal Republic of Central America was bordered on the north by Mexico , on the south by Gran Colombia and on its eastern coastline by the Mosquito Coast and British Honduras , both claimed by the federal republic. After Central America (then known as the Captaincy General of Guatemala ) declared its independence from the Spanish Empire in September 1821, it
23864-613: Was responsible for the El Mozote massacre where more than 800 civilians were murdered, over half of them children, the El Calabozo massacre , and the murder of UCA scholars . On 16 January 1992, the government of El Salvador, represented by president Alfredo Cristiani , and the FMLN, represented by the commanders of the five guerrilla groups – Schafik Hándal , Joaquín Villalobos , Salvador Sánchez Cerén , Francisco Jovel and Eduardo Sancho , all signed peace agreements brokered by
24021-439: Was succeeded as provisional governor by Carlos Salazar (José Gregorio Salazar's brother), and by José Gregorio Salazar on 13 July. As provisional governor, José Gregorio Salazar defeated a rebellion launched by San Martín which sought to restore him to power. San Salvador became the federal capital in June 1834 to symbolize the liberal victory over the conservatives in the 1827–1829 civil war. The federal government established
24178-537: Was tasked with electing the president instead. The congress voted 22–5 to elect Arce president. Valle was entitled to become vice president since he was the runner-up in the election, but refused to accept the position; so did liberal José Francisco Barrundia . Ultimately, the conservative Mariano Beltranena became Arce's vice president. Arce and Beltranena took office on 29 April. Arce's electoral victory angered conservatives who backed Valle, and alienated liberals (particularly Guatemalan liberals) because he had won
24335-410: Was the de facto government of Central America until the constitution was adopted. Its two political factions were the liberals and the conservatives ; the liberals supported federalism , and the conservatives supported centralism . The National Constituent Assembly drafted the constitution on 12 June 1824, and published it on 4 July. The constitution was inspired by the federal government of
24492-480: Was the commander-in-chief of the Federal Army. The president had a cabinet of three secretaries (ministers): the secretary of relations, the secretary of war, and the secretary of the treasury. Article 111 of the federal constitution allowed the president to seek consecutive re-election once, after which he must leave office for at least one term before being eligible for re-election a second time. The president
24649-605: Was to destroy the Catholic Church; Morazán refuted the Guatemalan government's warning, saying that his Christian "Protector Allied Army of the Law" (" Ejército Aliado Protector de la Ley ") did not seek to destroy the church and sought only to liberate Guatemala from "the wrongs [they had] suffered" ( los males que habéis sufrido "). He invaded in January 1829, and began besieging Guatemala City on 5 February. The city surrendered on 12 April and Morazán's soldiers entered it
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