Minister of National Defense (El Salvador)

Last updated

Minister of National Defense of El Salvador
Ministro de Defensa Nacional
Rene Merino Monroy at The Pentagon, 16 April 2025 (cropped).jpg
since 1 June 2019
Ministry of National Defense
Appointer President of El Salvador
Formation29 March 1856;169 years ago (1856-03-29)
First holder Cruz Ulloa

The Minister of National Defense of El Salvador (Spanish : Ministro de Defensa Nacional de El Salvador) is a Salvadoran cabinet minister who serves as the head of the Ministry of National Defense of El Salvador. The position of Minister of National Defense is typically held by an officer of the Armed Forces of El Salvador.

Contents

List of ministers

The following table lists all the individuals who held the office of Minister of National Defense. [1] [2]

No.PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officeBranch/political party President(s)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Cruz Ulloa
(?–?)
29 March 185630 April 185632 daysConservative Rafael Campo
Office vacant (30 April 1856 – 1 February 1858)
2 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Ignacio Gómez
(?–?)
1 February 185824 February 185823 daysConservative Miguel Santín del Castillo
3 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Cayetano Bosque
(?–?)
24 February 185821 November 1858270 daysLiberal
4 Jose Trinidad Cabanas 001.jpg General
José Trinidad Cabañas

(1805–1871)
26 November 18585 February 185976 daysLiberal/Army
Office vacant (5 February 1859 – 20 December 1859)
5 FelixQuiroz.jpg José Félix Quirós
(1811–1883)
20 December 18596 June 18601 year, 122 daysIndependent Gerardo Barrios
Office vacant (6 June 1860 – 5 March 1861)
6 Eugenio Aguilar Gonzalez Batres.jpg Eugenio Aguilar
(1804–1879)
5 March 186124 March 18632 years, 19 daysLiberal Gerardo Barrios
Office vacant (24 March 1863 – 27 October 1863)
7 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Juan Delgado y San Juan
(?–?)
27 October 18632 February 18651 year, 98 daysConservative Francisco Dueñas
Office vacant (2 February 1865 – 1 February 1871)
8 Zaldivar.jpg Rafael Zaldívar
(1834–1903)
1 February 187112 April 187170 daysLiberal Francisco Dueñas
Office vacant (12 April 1871 – 2 January 1877)
9 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Fabio Morán

(?–?)
2 January 187730 November 1877332 daysArmy Rafael Zaldívar
Office vacant (30 November 1877 – 1 January 1884)
10 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Adán Mora

(?–?)
1 January 188414 May 18851 year, 133 daysArmy Rafael Zaldívar
Office vacant (14 May 1885 – 2 June 1887)
11 General Carlos Ezeta.png General
Carlos Ezeta

(1852–1903)
2 June 188715 August 1888261 daysLiberal/Army Francisco Menéndez
12 Escalon.jpg General
Pedro José Escalón

(1847–1923)
18 August 188820 October 18891 year, 140 daysLiberal/Army
Office vacant (20 October 1889 – 1 January 1891)
13 El Salvador 1891 15c Seebeck Ezeta essay pair yellow brown (cropped).jpg General
Antonio Ezeta

(?–?)
1 January 189131 March 189189 daysLiberal/Army Carlos Ezeta
14 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Valentín Amaya

(?–?)
31 March 189123 January 1892298 daysArmy
15 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Domingo Angulo
(?–?)
24 January 189214 November 1892295 daysLiberal
14 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Valentín Amaya

(?–?)
1 January 189310 June 18941 year, 160 daysArmy
Office vacant (10 June 1894 – 4 March 1897)
16 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Juan Francisco Castro
(?–?)
4 March 189727 September 1897207 daysLiberal Rafael Antonio Gutiérrez
17 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Rafael Severo López
(?–?)
28 September 189713 November 18981 year, 47 daysLiberal
18 Tomas Regalado Romero.jpg General
Tomás Regalado

(1861–1906)
14 November 189812 September 19001 year, 302 daysArmy/LiberalHimself
Office vacant (12 September 1900 – 7 January 1901)
18 Tomas Regalado Romero.jpg General
Tomás Regalado

(1861–1906)
7 January 19011 March 19032 years, 53 daysArmy/LiberalHimself
19 Illus-059 (Salvador, 20th Century).jpg General
Fernando Figueroa

(1849–1919)
1 March 190310 September 19074 years, 193 daysArmy/Liberal Pedro José Escalón
Himself
Office vacant (10 September 1907 – 1 March 1911)
20 PeraltaLagos.jpg General
José María Peralta Lagos

(1873–1944)
1 March 191114 February 19131 year, 350 daysArmy Manuel Enrique Araujo
21 Dr. Francisco Martinez.png Francisco Martínez Suárez
(1864–1940)
14 February 19138 July 1913144 daysLiberal Carlos Meléndez
22 Alfonso Quinonez Molina 1915.jpg Alfonso Quiñónez Molina
(1874–1950)
8 July 191329 August 19141 year, 52 daysLiberal
23 Dr. Pio Romero Bosque.jpg Pío Romero Bosque
(1860–1935)
29 August 19141 March 1915184 daysLiberal Alfonso Quiñónez Molina
24 Luis Alonso Barahona.png General
Luis Alonso Barahona

(1867–1915)
1 March 191520 October 1915233 daysArmy Carlos Meléndez
25 Enrique Cordova.png Enrique Córdova
(?–?)
20 October 19151 March 19193 years, 132 daysLiberal
23 Dr. Pio Romero Bosque.jpg Pío Romero Bosque
(1860–1935)
1 March 19191 March 19278 years, 0 days National Democratic Party Jorge Meléndez
Alfonso Quiñónez Molina
26 Alberto Gomez Zarate c. 1923-1925.png Alberto Gómez Zárate
(1883–1967)
1 March 192719 May 19303 years, 79 days National Democratic Party Pío Romero Bosque
27 Pio Romero Bosque Molina, hijo.png Pío Romero Bosque Molina
(?–?)
20 May 19301 March 1931285 days National Democratic Party
28 General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, President of El Salvador.jpg General
Maximiliano Hernández Martínez

(1882–1966)
1 March 19311 December 1931275 daysArmy/National Republican Party Arturo Araujo
29 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg Colonel
Salvador López Rochac

(?–?)
1 December 19312 December 19311 day Salvadoran Laborist Party
Coronel Osmin Aguirre.jpg Colonel
Osmín Aguirre y Salinas

(1889–1977)
(Acting)
2 December 19314 December 19312 daysArmy Civic Directory
Coronel Joaquin Valdez.jpg Colonel
Joaquín Valdés

(1906–1957)
Acting)
4 December 19312 April 19342 years, 122 daysArmy Maximiliano Hernández Martínez
67 General Andres I. Menendez.jpg General
Andrés Ignacio Menéndez

(1879–1962)
Acting)
3 April 193428 August 1934148 daysArmy/National Pro Patria Party
General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, President of El Salvador.jpg General
Maximiliano Hernández Martínez

(1882–1966)
Acting)
28 August 19341 March 1935185 daysArmy/National Pro Patria Party Andrés Ignacio Menéndez
30 67 General Andres I. Menendez.jpg General
Andrés Ignacio Menéndez

(1879–1962)
1 March 19359 May 19449 years, 69 daysArmy/National Pro Patria Party Maximiliano Hernández Martínez
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Fidel Cristino Garay

(?–?)
9 May 194420 October 1944164 daysArmy/National Pro Patria Party Andrés Ignacio Menéndez
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Colonel
Salvador Peña Trejo

(?–?)
21 October 19441 March 1945131 daysArmy Osmín Aguirre y Salinas
31 Gral-castaneda.jpg General
Salvador Castaneda Castro

(1888–1965)
1 March 194531 March 194530 daysArmy/Unification Social Democratic Party Himself
31 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Mauro Espínola Castro

(?–?)
31 March 194514 December 19483 years, 258 daysArmy Salvador Castaneda Castro
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Lieutenant Colonel
Fidel Rodríguez Quintanilla

(?–?)
Acting
14 December 194814 September 19501 year, 274 daysArmy Revolutionary Council of Government  [ es ]
32 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Major
Óscar Adán Bolaños

(?–?)
14 September 195010 December 19533 years, 87 daysArmy Óscar Osorio
33 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Colonel
Marco Antonio Molina

(?–?)
10 December 195314 September 19562 years, 279 daysArmy
34 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Colonel
Adán Parada

(?–?)
14 September 195620 October 19604 years, 36 daysArmy José María Lemus
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Lieutenant Colonel
Alonso Castillo Navarrete

(?–?)
Acting
20 October 196025 January 196197 daysArmy Junta of Government
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Lieutenant Colonel
Armando Molina Mena

(?–?)
Acting
26 January 19619 May 1961104 daysArmy Civic-Military Directory
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Major
Óscar Rodríguez Simó

(?–?)
Acting
9 May 196118 November 1961193 daysArmy
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Major
Mariano Castro Morán

(?–?)
Acting
18 November 196124 January 196267 daysArmy
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Divisional General
Armando Díaz Liévano

(?–?)
Acting
24 January 19621 July 1962158 daysArmy
Eusebio Rodolfo Cordón Cea
35 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Colonel
Marco Aurelio Zacapa

(?–?)
1 July 19621 July 19675 years, 0 daysArmy/National Conciliation Party Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo
36 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Colonel
Fidel Torres

(?–?)
1 July 19671 July 19725 years, 0 daysArmy/National Conciliation Party Fidel Sánchez Hernández
37 Jimmy Carter with Carlos Humberto Romero President of the Republic of El Salvador. - NARA - 176138 (cropped).tif General
Carlos Humberto Romero

(1924–2017)
1 July 19721 July 19775 years, 0 daysArmy/National Conciliation Party Arturo Armando Molina
38 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Federico Castillo Yanes

(?–2013)
1 July 197715 October 19792 years, 106 daysArmy/National Conciliation Party Carlos Humberto Romero
Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
José Guillermo García

(born 1933)
Acting
15 October 197919 April 19833 years, 186 daysArmy Revolutionary Government Junta
Álvaro Magaña
39 Vides Casanova (cropped).jpg General
Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova

(1937–2023)
19 April 19831 June 19896 years, 43 daysArmy
José Napoleón Duarte
40 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg General
Rafael Humberto Larios López

(born 1937)
1 June 198931 August 19901 year, 91 daysArmy
Alfredo Cristiani
41 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Divisional General
René Emilio Ponce

(1947–2011)
31 August 19901 July 19932 years, 304 daysArmy
42 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Divisional General
Humberto Corado Figueroa

(born 1948)
1 July 199331 December 19952 years, 183 daysArmy
Armando Calderón Sol
43 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Divisional General
Jaime Mauricio Guzmán Morales

(born ?)
31 December 199531 December 19983 years, 0 daysArmy
44 Juan Antonio Martinez Varela meets with Donald Rumsfeld in the Pentagon on March 30, 2001.jpg General of Aviation
Juan Antonio Martínez Várela

(born ?)
31 December 19981 June 20045 years, 153 daysAir Force
Francisco Flores Pérez
45 Romero 040930-D-2987S-008 screen.jpg Divisional General
Otto Alejandro Romero Orellana

(born 1955)
1 June 200431 December 20073 years, 213 daysArmy Antonio Saca
46 Salvadoran Army Seal.svg Divisional General
Jorge Alberto Molina Contreras

(born 1956)
31 December 20071 June 20091 year, 152 daysArmy
47 David Munguia Payes in 2015.jpg Divisional General
David Munguía Payés

(born ?)
1 June 200923 November 20112 years, 175 daysArmy Mauricio Funes
48 Jose Atilio Benitez Parada.jpg Divisional General
Atilio Benítez

(born 1958)
23 November 201112 July 20131 year, 231 daysArmy
47 David Munguia Payes in 2015.jpg Divisional General
David Munguía Payés

(born ?)
12 July 20131 June 20195 years, 324 daysArmy
Salvador Sánchez Cerén
49 Rene Merino Monroy at The Pentagon, 16 April 2025 (cropped).jpg Vice Admiral
René Francis Merino Monroy

(born 1963)
1 June 2019Incumbent6 years, 77 daysNavy Nayib Bukele

See also

References

  1. "EXMINISTROS DE DEFENSA". Ministerio de la Defensa Nacional. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  2. "Public display at the Military Museum of El Salvador", Military Museum of El Salvador "El Zapote" (in Spanish), San Salvador, El Salvador