Fidel Sánchez Hernández

General
Fidel Sánchez Hernández
General Fidel Sánchez Hernández
	Sánchez Hernández, c. 1967–1972
70th President of El Salvador
	In office; 1 July 1967 –1 July 1972

Last updated April 13, 2026

Fidel Sánchez Hernández (7 July 1917 – 28 February 2003) was a Salvadoran military officer and politician who served as president of El Salvador from 1967 to 1972.^[1] During his rule, Sánchez Hernández faced war and economic turmoil.

Military career

Before becoming president, Sánchez Hernández was an army general in El Salvador and had brief stints as a military attaché in Washington D.C. (after his participation in the overthrow of José María Lemus in 1960) and in Paris. President Julio Adalberto Rivera promoted him to Minister of the Interior in 1962, and he served in that office until 1967, when he succeeded Rivera to the position of president.^{[ citation needed ]}

Presidency

He continued Rivera's progressive programs and created a mostly civilian cabinet. The 1967 election was considered^{[ by whom? ]} one of the few in the period of military domination to have been fairly conducted; the gains made by the opposition (winning a majority of the popular vote) in the legislative and local elections the following year suggested El Salvador was on the road to democratization, a trend that would not be continued as elections in the 1970s were blatantly rigged.^{[ according to whom? ]}^{[ citation needed ]}

In July 1969, Sánchez Hernández led the Salvadoran Army in its brief but violent Football War against Honduras. He had much success, occupying a large part of that country. But, under a cease-fire agreement arranged by the Organization of American States, Sánchez Hernández agreed to pull his troops out, much to the opposition of many of his military leaders.^{[ citation needed ]}

The war with Honduras led to much economic distress in El Salvador. Refugees, mostly Salvadorans that resided in Honduras, poured into the country and Honduras closed off trade routes.^{[ citation needed ]}

Sánchez Hernández remained president until 1972 and was succeeded by Colonel Arturo Armando Molina.^[2]

Death

Sánchez Hernández died on 28 February 2003 in San Salvador, El Salvador. He died of a heart attack while being taken to a military hospital.

Orders and decorations

The following is a list of orders and decorations awarded to Sánchez Hernández:^[3]

Dominican Republic

Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella (13 November 1970)

Guatemala

Order of the Quetzal (3 September 1968)

Mexico

Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (16 January 1958)

Spain

Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic

South Korea

Grand Order of Mugunghwa (22 September 1970)
Grand National Order (4 March 1969)

Taiwan

Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cloud and Banner (14 February 1968)

West Germany

Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (11 August 1971)

References

↑ "Gral. Fidel Sánchez Hernández — Asamblea Legislativa". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
↑ "Biografia de Fidel Sánchez Hernández". www.biografiasyvidas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 July 2018.
↑ "Gral. Fidel Sánchez Hernández". asamblea.gob.sv (in Spanish). Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2022.

Political offices

Preceded by

Julio Adalberto Rivera

President of El Salvador
1967–1972

Succeeded by

Arturo Armando Molina

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[1] "Gral. Fidel Sánchez Hernández — Asamblea Legislativa". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2017.

[2] "Biografia de Fidel Sánchez Hernández". www.biografiasyvidas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 July 2018.

[awards-3] "Gral. Fidel Sánchez Hernández". asamblea.gob.sv (in Spanish). Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

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Military dictatorship (1931–1979)	Civic Directory ^‡ Martínez ^†* A. Menéndez ^†* Martínez* A. Menéndez ^†* Aguirre ^†* Castaneda* Revolutionary Council of Government ^‡ Osorio* Lemus* Junta of Government ^‡ Civic-Military Directory ^‡ Cordón ^† Rivera* F. Sánchez* A. Molina* C. Romero*
Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992)	Revolutionary Government Junta ^‡ Magaña Duarte Cristiani
Post-civil war (since 1992)	Cristiani Calderón Flores Saca Funes S. Sánchez Bukele C. Rodríguez ^†
^† – Acting or provisional president ^‡ – Military junta * – Military president

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General Fidel Sánchez Hernández
Sánchez Hernández, c. 1967–1972

70th President of El Salvador
In office 1 July 1967 –1 July 1972