Indired presidential elections were held in El Salvador

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...

 on 29 April 1982. The Legislative Assembly voted on three candidates nominated by the armed forces. Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja

Álvaro Magaña

Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja was the President of El Salvador from 1982 to 1984, and member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance . He received his Masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1995. He was a bank president before the election of 1982. He was sworn in by Roberto D'Aubuisson...

, leader of the moderate Democratic Action and thus effectively politically independent, was elected by 36 votes to 17, ahead of the Nationalist Republican Alliance

Nationalist Republican Alliance

The Nationalist Republican Alliance is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time...

 (ARENA) and Party of National Conciliation

Party of National Conciliation

The Party of National Conciliation is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was the most powerful political party in the country during the 1960s and 1970s, and was closely associated with the Salvadoran military. Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo, a candidate of the National...

 candidates. Roberto D'Aubuisson

Roberto D'Aubuisson

Major Roberto D'Aubuisson Arrieta was the Salvadoran Army officer and political leader who founded the Nationalist Republican Alliance , which he led from 1980 to 1985...

 accused Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez Avendaño of imposing on the Assembly "his personal decision to put Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja

Álvaro Magaña

Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja was the President of El Salvador from 1982 to 1984, and member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance . He received his Masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1995. He was a bank president before the election of 1982. He was sworn in by Roberto D'Aubuisson...

 in the presidency" in spite of a " categorical no" from the ARENA deputies. Magana

Álvaro Magaña

Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja was the President of El Salvador from 1982 to 1984, and member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance . He received his Masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1995. He was a bank president before the election of 1982. He was sworn in by Roberto D'Aubuisson...

 was sworn into office on 2 May.

Results

Candidate	Party	Votes
Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja Álvaro Magaña Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja was the President of El Salvador from 1982 to 1984, and member of the Nationalist Republican Alliance . He received his Masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1995. He was a bank president before the election of 1982. He was sworn in by Roberto D'Aubuisson...	AD-PDC Christian Democratic Party (El Salvador) The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in El Salvador.In the legislative elections, held on 16 March 2003, the party won 7.3% of the popular vote and 5 out of 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly. In the presidential election of 21 March 2004, the PDC supported Héctor Silva Argüello... -PCN Party of National Conciliation The Party of National Conciliation is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was the most powerful political party in the country during the 1960s and 1970s, and was closely associated with the Salvadoran military. Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo, a candidate of the National...	36
Hugo César Barrera	Nationalist Republican Alliance Nationalist Republican Alliance The Nationalist Republican Alliance is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time...	17
Abstainments		7¹
Total		60
Source: Achinelli & Leopoldo

¹ Of the seven abstaining votes, four were from PCN members, two from National Republican Alliance members and one from a Salvadorean Popular Party member