Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Government ruled El Salvador
between October 15, 1979 and May 2, 1982. It contained two colonels, Adolfo Arnaldo Majano Ramos and Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez Avendaño, and three civilians, Guillermo Ungo
, Mario Antonio Andino and Román Mayorga Quirós.
The JRG ousted President Carlos Humberto Romero
on October 15, 1979. Although Colonels Majano and Gutiérrez were from the Army (generally seen as a force for right-wing politics,) the junta took inspiration from left-wing politics
, and initiated a program of land reform
and nationalization
of the banking, coffee, and sugar industries.
Internal contradictions within the Junta soon became apparent, with Colonel Majano representing a progressive view and Colonel Gutiérrez representing a more conservative viewpoint. On January 5, 1980 the three civilians resigned, and were replaced by José Antonio Morales Ehrlich and Héctor Miguel Dada Hirezi initiating the Second Revolutionary Government Junta. When Dada Hirezi resigned in protest at the violence of the Junta on March 3, José Napoleón Duarte
took his place and this was the Third Revolutionary Government Junta. On December 7, Majano was expelled from the junta (and went into exile,) and on December 22, Duarte became head of the Junta, and also the head of state. Gutiérrez was Vice-President and considered to be the strong man of the regime. Two weeks after Duarte got into the Junta, Archbishop Romero was killed during mass in a Catholic church in the capital. On January 10, 1981 the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
(FMLN) launched a generalized attack on the government which resulted in the regime receiving immediate military aid from the U.S., including military advisers. See the Salvadoran Civil War.
On March 26, 1982 elections to the National Congress were held. Then the new Congress chose Álvaro Magaña to become the new President of El Salvador
, which resulted in the end of the Junta on May 2.
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
between October 15, 1979 and May 2, 1982. It contained two colonels, Adolfo Arnaldo Majano Ramos and Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez Avendaño, and three civilians, Guillermo Ungo
Guillermo Ungo
Guillermo Manuel Ungo Revelo was a Salvadoran social democratic politician. He was a member of the ruling government junta from 1979 to 1980. Ungo was for a time the unofficial leader of the opposition in his capacity as president of the Revolutionary Democratic Front alliance...
, Mario Antonio Andino and Román Mayorga Quirós.
The JRG ousted President Carlos Humberto Romero
Carlos Humberto Romero
General Carlos Humberto Romero Mena is a former President of El Salvador, having served from 1977 until 1979. He was deposed with a reformist coup d'état by dissident, politically-conservative and -moderate military officers and civilians. President-General Romero's rule was military dictatorship...
on October 15, 1979. Although Colonels Majano and Gutiérrez were from the Army (generally seen as a force for right-wing politics,) the junta took inspiration from left-wing politics
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
, and initiated a program of land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
and nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of the banking, coffee, and sugar industries.
Internal contradictions within the Junta soon became apparent, with Colonel Majano representing a progressive view and Colonel Gutiérrez representing a more conservative viewpoint. On January 5, 1980 the three civilians resigned, and were replaced by José Antonio Morales Ehrlich and Héctor Miguel Dada Hirezi initiating the Second Revolutionary Government Junta. When Dada Hirezi resigned in protest at the violence of the Junta on March 3, José Napoleón Duarte
José Napoleón Duarte
José Napoleón Duarte Fuentes was a Salvadoran political figure who, from March 3, 1980, to 1982, led the civil-military Revolutionary Government Junta that took power in a 1979 coup d'état...
took his place and this was the Third Revolutionary Government Junta. On December 7, Majano was expelled from the junta (and went into exile,) and on December 22, Duarte became head of the Junta, and also the head of state. Gutiérrez was Vice-President and considered to be the strong man of the regime. Two weeks after Duarte got into the Junta, Archbishop Romero was killed during mass in a Catholic church in the capital. On January 10, 1981 the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is, since 1992, a left-wing political party in El Salvador and formerly a coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations...
(FMLN) launched a generalized attack on the government which resulted in the regime receiving immediate military aid from the U.S., including military advisers. See the Salvadoran Civil War.
On March 26, 1982 elections to the National Congress were held. Then the new Congress chose Álvaro Magaña to become the new President of El Salvador
President of El Salvador
This page contains a list of Presidents of El Salvador.-Heads of State of El Salvador within the Federal Republic of Central America :*Pedro Barriere : 21 September 1821 - 28 November 1821*José Matías Delgado : 28 Nov 1821 - 9 February 1823...
, which resulted in the end of the Junta on May 2.