Civic Directory

The Civic Directory (Directorio Cívico) ruled El Salvador from 2 to 4 December 1931.[1] It was composed entirely of military officers. The civic directory began the era of military dictatorships in El Salvador from 1931-1979.

The Civic Directory of El Salvador in December 1931 following the coup.

History

From 11 to 13 January 1931, El Salvador experienced its first fair and free democratic election in its history.[2] The election was won by Arturo Araujo of the Labor Party.[3] His running mate was Maximiliano Hernández Martínez of the National Republican Party.

During Araujo's presidency, El Salvador faced political and social unrest. During his presidency, he failed to pay the army which decided to overthrow his government on 2 December 1931.[4] Colonels Joaquín Valdés and Osmín Aguirre y Salinas served as the co-chairmen of the Civic Directory and several other military officers also served on the directory.[2]

The Civic Directory ended its government when the Presidency of the Republic was transferred over to Vice President Maximiliano Hernández Martínez. Hernández Martínez would then carry out the 1932 Salvadoran peasant massacre a little over two months after taking office[5][6] and later solidified his control in the 1935 presidential election.[3] The United States reluctantly recognized his government in 1932 despite the 1923 Central American Treaty of Peace and Amity.[2][7][8]

Members

The Civic Directory was composed of:

National Guard:

• Colonel Joaquín Valdés[1][2]
• Colonel Juan Vicente Vidal[1]

First Infantry Regiment:

• Captain Manuel Urbina[1]
• Captain Visitación Antonio Pacheco[1]
• Lieutenant Joaquin Castro Canizales[1]

First Artillery Regiment:

• Lieutenant Carlos Rodriguez[1]
• Sub Lieutenant Julio Cañas[1]

First Machine Gun Regiment:

• Second Lieutenant José Alonso Huezo[1]
• Second Lieutenant Miguel Hernández Saldaña[1]

Cavalry Regiment:

• Lieutenant Héctor Montalvo[1]

Minister of National Defense:

• Colonel Osmín Aguirre y Salinas[1][2]

Air Force:

• Second Lieutenant Juan Ramón Munés[1][2]

See also

• 1931 in El Salvador
• Armed Forces of El Salvador
• President of El Salvador

References

1. "Presidentes de El Salvador - Directorio Civico" [Presidents of El Salvador - Civic Directory]. Presidente Elías Antonio Saca El Salvador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 21, 2009.
2. Grieb, Kenneth J. (1971). "The United States and the Rise of General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez". Journal of Latin American Studies. 3 (2): 151–172. doi:10.1017/S0022216X00001425.
3. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook Vol. 1 Oxford University Press, p287
4. Bland, Gary "Assessing the transition to democracy" in Tulchin, Joseph S. with Gary Bland (1992) Is there a transition to democracy in El Salvador? Boulder: Westview Press, p 166
5. "20. El Salvador (1927-present)".
6. "Encuentra aquí información de Oligarquía Cafetalera en Santa Tecla y Santa Ana para tu escuela ¡Entra ya! | Rincón del Vago". 2001-09-17.
7. Dur, Philip F. (1998). "US Diplomacy and the Salvadorean Revolution of 1931". Journal of Latin American Studies. 30 (1): 95–119. doi:10.1017/S0022216X97004914. JSTOR 158449.
8. Carmelo Francisco esmeralda Astilla (1976). "The Martinez Era: Salvadoran-American Relations, 1931-1944". Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College.