History of El Salvador in Timeline
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a Central American country bordered by Honduras, Guatemala, and the Pacific Ocean. Its capital and largest city is San Salvador. The country's population was estimated at 6 million in 2024.
1903: End of Tomas Regalado's Presidency
In 1903, General Tomas Regalado's term as president of El Salvador ended.
July 1906: Death of General Tomas Regalado
On July 11, 1906, General Tomas Regalado was killed at El Jicaro during a war against Guatemala.
1912: Creation of the National Guard
In 1912, the national guard was created as a rural police force in El Salvador.
1913: Assassination of President Manuel Enrique Araujo
In 1913, President Manuel Enrique Araujo was killed, leading to many hypotheses about the political motive of his murder.
1913: Beginning of the Melendez-Quinonez Dynasty
The Melendez-Quinonez dynasty began in 1913 in El Salvador.
1915: El Salvador's Official Name
In 1915, the Legislative Assembly passed a law which officially stated that the country's name should be rendered as the definite form El Salvador.
1919: Earthquake in San Salvador
The capital San Salvador suffered heavy damage in the 1919 tremor.
1927: End of the Melendez-Quinonez Dynasty
The Melendez-Quinonez dynasty lasted until 1927.
December 1930: Exile of Farabundo Martí
In December 1930, Farabundo Martí was once again exiled because of his popularity among the nation's poor.
1930: Announcement of Free Elections
In 1930, Pio Romero Bosque announced free elections in El Salvador.
March 1931: Arturo Araujo Comes to Power
On March 1, 1931, Arturo Araujo came to power in what was considered the country's first freely contested election.
December 1931: Military Coup Led by Martinez
In December 1931, a coup d'état was organized by junior officers and led by Martínez in El Salvador.
1931: Return of Farabundo Martí
In 1931, Farabundo Martí returned to El Salvador after Araujo was elected president.
1931: Military Dictatorship
In 1931, the country's military dictatorship began with Carlos Humberto Romero as the final president.
January 1932: Start of La Matanza
Beginning in January 1932, there was brutal suppression of a rural revolt known as La Matanza.
January 1932: Peasant Revolt
On January 22, 1932, thousands of poorly armed peasants revolted against the government in the western part of El Salvador.
1935: Martinez Rules El Salvador
Martinez ruled El Salvador from 1935 to 1939.
1939: Martinez Rules El Salvador
Martinez ruled El Salvador from 1939 to 1943.
1943: Martinez Rules El Salvador
Martinez ruled El Salvador from 1939 to 1943.
1944: Martinez Resigns
In 1944, Martinez began a fourth term but resigned in May after a general strike.
November 1950: Support for Tibetan Government
In November 1950, El Salvador supported the Tibetan Government's appeal to the UN regarding the annexation of Tibet by China.
1950: El Salvador's population
In 1950 El Salvador's population was 2,200,000.
1958: Legislature Reaffirms Country's Name
In 1958, the legislature reaffirmed the country's name as El Salvador with another law.
1960: Activity of PDC and PCN Parties
The Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and the National Conciliation Party (PCN) were active in Salvadoran politics from 1960.
1964: José Napoleón Duarte, Mayor of San Salvador
From 1964, José Napoleón Duarte was the mayor of San Salvador.
1970: José Napoleón Duarte, Mayor of San Salvador
Until 1970, José Napoleón Duarte was the mayor of San Salvador.
1972: Duarte Defeated in Presidential Elections
In 1972, José Napoleón Duarte was defeated in the presidential elections.
1976: Opening of Estadio Cuscatlán
In 1976, the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador opened. It has a seating capacity of 53,400, making it the largest stadium in Central America and the Caribbean.
October 1979: Carter Administration Decides Regime Change
By October 1979, the Carter administration decided that El Salvador needed regime change.
October 1979: Coup d'état Brings Revolutionary Government Junta to Power
On October 15, 1979, a coup d'état brought the Revolutionary Government Junta (JRG) to power.
1979: Duarte Returns to El Salvador
In 1979, Duarte returned to El Salvador to enter politics after working on projects in Venezuela as an engineer.
1979: Start of Salvadoran Civil War
In 1979, the Salvadoran Civil War began, fought between the military-led government backed by the United States, and a coalition of left-wing guerrilla groups due to persistent socioeconomic inequality and civil unrest.
March 1980: Assassination of Óscar Romero
On March 24, 1980, Óscar Romero was assassinated by a death squad while saying Mass.
October 1980: Formation of the FMLN
In October 1980, several major guerrilla groups of the Salvadoran left formed the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, or FMLN.
1980: Salvadoran Emigration to the United States
From 1980, large numbers of Salvadorans emigrated to the United States.
1980: Commission on the Truth Investigation
Since 1980, the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador investigated serious acts of violence, their nature and effects, and recommended methods for national reconciliation.
1982: FIFA World Cup Qualification
The El Salvador national football team qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1982.
1982: Earthquake in San Salvador
The capital San Salvador suffered heavy damage in the 1982 tremor.
1983: Constitution
The 1983 constitution has the highest legal authority in the country.
1986: Earthquake in San Salvador
In 1986, a 5.7 Mw earthquake in San Salvador resulted in 1,500 deaths, 10,000 injuries, and 100,000 people left homeless.
1989: ARENA Dominance Begins
From 1989, Salvadorans favored the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), voting in ARENA presidents in every election until 2009.
1989: Murder of Jesuit Priests
In 1989, during the height of the civil war, Jesuit priests and professors Ignacio Ellacuría, Ignacio Martín-Baró, and Segundo Montes were murdered by the Salvadoran Army.
January 1992: Peace Agreements Signed
In January 1992, the government of El Salvador and the FMLN signed peace agreements in Chapultepec Castle, Mexico, ending the 12-year civil war. The signing was attended by U.N. dignitaries and representatives of the international community.
September 1992: Implementation of value-added tax
In September 1992, a 10% value-added tax (IVA in Spanish) was implemented in El Salvador.
1992: End of Salvadoran Civil War
In 1992, the Salvadoran Civil War ended with the Chapultepec Peace Accords, establishing a multiparty constitutional republic.
1993: Commission on the Truth Findings and Amnesty Law
In 1993, the Commission on the Truth delivered its findings reporting human rights violations during the conflict. Five days later in 1993, the Salvadoran legislature passed an amnesty law for all acts of violence during the period.
July 1995: Value-added tax increase
In July 1995, El Salvador's value-added tax (IVA) was raised from 10% to 13%.
1996: GDP growth rate after 1996
After 1996, El Salvador's GDP grew at an annual rate that averaged 3.2% real growth.
1997: Ministry of the Environment Established
In 1997, the government established the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources.
1999: Environmental Framework Law Approved
In 1999, a general environmental framework law was approved by the National Assembly.
2000: Exports from 2000 to 2006
From 2000 to 2006, as a result of the free trade agreements, total exports have grown 19% from $2.94 billion.
January 2001: Earthquake
On 13 January 2001, an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter magnitude scale caused a landslide that killed more than 800 people.
February 2001: Earthquake
On 13 February 2001, another earthquake killed 255 people and damaged about 20% of the country's housing.
2001: Severe Drought
In 2001 a severe drought destroyed 80% of El Salvador's crops, causing famine in the countryside.
2001: United States dollar Replaces the Colón
In 2001, the United States dollar replaced the colón as the currency of El Salvador.
2004: Salvadorans Living Abroad
As of 2004, approximately 3.2 million Salvadorans were living outside of El Salvador, with the United States being the primary destination for economic migrants.
2004: Presidential Election
In 2004, Antonio Saca was elected president of El Salvador. His opponent, Schafik Handal, was also of Palestinian descent, highlighting the economic and political power of Salvadorans of Palestinian descent in the country.
2004: Super Mano Dura Program
In 2004, The government started a gang reform called "Super Mano Dura" (Super Firm Hand). It experienced temporary success, but after 2005 there was a rise in crime.
2004: Intentional Homicides
In 2004, there were 41 intentional homicides per 100,000 citizens in El Salvador, with 60% of the homicides being gang-related.
2004: End of ARENA Dominance
Until 2004, Salvadorans favoured the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), voting in ARENA presidents in every election until 2009.
October 2005: Santa Ana Volcano Eruption
On 1 October 2005, the Santa Ana Volcano spewed a cloud of ash, hot mud and rocks that fell on nearby villages and caused two deaths.
October 2005: Severe Rains and Flooding
On 4 October 2005, severe rains caused dangerous flooding and landslides, resulting in at least 50 deaths.
2005: Rise in Crime
After 2005, there was a rise in crime in El Salvador following temporary success from the Super Mano Dura program.
2005: Expiration of the Multi Fibre Arrangement
In 2005, El Salvador faced Asian competition in the apparel sector with the expiration of the Multi Fibre Arrangement.
2006: Exports from 2000 to 2006
From 2000 to 2006, as a result of the free trade agreements, total exports have grown 19% to $3.51 billion.
2006: El Salvador ratifies CAFTA
In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States.
2006: Gay marriage proposal rejection
In 2006, a gay marriage proposal was legally not recognized in El Salvador, and was rejected.
2006: Remittances as a percentage of GDP
In 2006, remittances to El Salvador were $3.32 billion, approximately 16.2% of GDP.
2007: GDP growth rate for 2007
In 2007, El Salvador's GDP's real growth rate hit 4.7%.
2008: Salvadorans in the United States
By 2008, Salvadorans were the sixth largest immigrant group in the United States, with nearly one million having emigrated since 1980.
2008: El Salvador seeks arbitration against Enel Green Power
In 2008, El Salvador sought international arbitration against Italy's Enel Green Power on behalf of Salvadoran state-owned electric companies for a geothermal project Enel had invested in.
2008: Service sector component of GDP
In 2008, the service sector was the largest component of El Salvador's GDP at 64.1%.
March 2009: Mauricio Funes Elected
In March 2009, Mauricio Funes of the FMLN won the presidential election.
June 2009: Mauricio Funes Inaugurated
On 1 June 2009, Mauricio Funes was inaugurated as president. One focus of the Funes government has been revealing the alleged corruption from the past government.
December 2009: Saca Expelled and Forms GANA
In December 2009, ARENA formally expelled Saca from the party. Saca established his own party, the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA).
2009: Gay marriage proposal rejection
In 2009, a gay marriage proposal was legally not recognized in El Salvador, and was rejected.
2009: US embassy notes corruption of El Salvador's judicial system
In 2009, the U.S. Embassy warned that the Salvadoran government's policies of mandating artificially low electricity prices were damaging private sector profitability, and noted the corruption of El Salvador's judicial system.
2009: ARENA's electoral defeat
In an analysis of ARENA's electoral defeat in 2009, the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador pointed to official corruption under the Saca administration as a significant reason for public rejection of continued ARENA government.
2010: Metallic mining contribution to GDP
Between 2010 and 2015, the contribution of metallic mining was a minuscule 0.3% of El Salvador's GDP.
2010: Age distribution
In 2010 the percentage of El Salvador's population below the age of 15 was 32.1%.
2010: Agriculture component of GDP
In 2010, agriculture represented 11.2% of El Salvador's GDP.
2011: Disbanding of PDC and PCN Parties
In 2011, the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and the National Conciliation Party (PCN) were disbanded by the Supreme Court.
2011: Gang Members Estimate
In 2011, there were an estimated 25,000 gang members at large in El Salvador, with another 9,000 in prison.
April 2012: IMF suspends loan to El Salvador
In April 2012, the International Monetary Fund suspended a $750 million loan to the central government of El Salvador due to problems with economic subsidies.
2012: Salvadoran Immigrants in the U.S.
By 2012, there were about 2.0 million Salvadoran immigrants and Americans of Salvadoran descent in the U.S., making them the sixth-largest immigrant group in the country.
2012: Highest Murder Rate
In 2012, El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world.
2012: Homicide Rate Increase
In 2012, the homicide rate in El Salvador had increased to 66 per 100,000 inhabitants, more than triple the rate in Mexico.
2013: Pew Research survey on homosexuality
According to a 2013 survey by Pew Research, 53% of Salvadorans believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society.
2013: Influx of FDI
In 2013, the influx of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) increased in El Salvador, but the country still receives less FDI than other countries of Central America.
March 2014: Cerén Wins Election
In March 2014, former FMLN guerrilla leader Cerén narrowly won the election.
December 2014: Settlement between Enel and El Salvador
In December 2014, a dispute between El Salvador and Italy's Enel Green Power ended in a settlement, from which no details have been released.
2014: Corruption Perceptions Index
In 2014, El Salvador ranked 80 out of 175 countries as per the Corruption Perceptions Index.
2014: International Tourist Visits
In 2014, it was estimated that 1,394,000 international tourists visited El Salvador.
2014: World Bank rating in "Ease of doing business" index
In 2014, the World Bank rated El Salvador 109, a little better than Belize (118) and Nicaragua (119) in the World Bank's annual "Ease of doing business" index.
2014: End of Funes Leadership
Until 2014, The FMLN Party split between the dominant Marxist-Leninist faction in the legislature, and the social liberal wing led by Mauricio Funes.
2015: Water supply and sanitation
A 2015 study by the University of North Carolina called El Salvador the country that has achieved the greatest progress in the world in terms of increased access to water supply and sanitation and the reduction of inequity in access between urban and rural areas.
2015: Metallic mining contribution to GDP
Between 2010 and 2015, the contribution of metallic mining was a minuscule 0.3% of El Salvador's GDP.
2015: Homicides Recorded
In 2015, there were 6,650 homicides recorded in El Salvador.
2016: Homicides Recorded
In 2016, at least 5,728 people were murdered in El Salvador.
October 2017: Court Rules Against Funes
In October 2017, an El Salvador court ruled that former president Funes and one of his sons had illegally enriched themselves.
December 2017: Net international reserves
As of December 2017, El Salvador's net international reserves stood at $3.57 billion.
2017: Homicides Recorded
In 2017, there were 3,962 recorded homicides in El Salvador.
September 2018: Saca Sentenced to Prison
In September 2018, former president Saca was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to diverting more than US$300 million in state funds.
October 2018: Canonization of Óscar Romero
On 14 October 2018, Óscar Romero, the first Salvadoran saint, was canonized by Pope Francis.
2018: Forest Landscape Integrity Index
In 2018, El Salvador had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.06/10, ranking it 136th globally out of 172 countries.
2018: Digital TV transition
In 2018, El Salvador transitioned to digital transmission of TV/radio networks, adapting the ISDB-T standard.
2018: Homicides Recorded
In 2018, there were 3,348 recorded deaths in El Salvador.
February 2019: Bukele Wins Presidential Election
In February 2019 presidential election, Nayib Bukele won representing GANA.
June 2019: Nayib Bukele Becomes President
On 1 June 2019, Nayib Bukele became the new president of El Salvador.
June 2019: Bukele Becomes President and Homicide Rate Drops
Since Bukele became president in June 2019, the homicide rate in El Salvador had dropped significantly.
2019: El Salvador Income Inequality
As of 2019, economic improvements had led to El Salvador experiencing the lowest level of income inequality among nearby countries.
2019: Decline in Murder Rate
In 2019, El Salvador experienced a sharp decline in murder rate with a new conservative government in power.
2019: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2019, El Salvador was ranked 108th in the Global Innovation Index.
2019: Bukele Wins Election
In 2019, Nayib Bukele from GANA won the Salvadoran presidential election, breaking two-party dominance.
2019: Homicides Recorded
In 2019, authorities reported a total of 2,365 homicides in El Salvador.
2019: Remittances as a percentage of GDP
In 2019, remittances to El Salvador were nearly $6 billion, around 20% of GDP, one of the highest rates in the world.
2019: Tourism contribution to GDP
In 2019, tourism contributed US$2970.1 million to El Salvador's GDP, representing 11% of total GDP.
2019: Bukele's claims about change in homicide
On 10 May 2023 Bukele stated on Twitter that El Salvador had completed one full year or 365 days since 2019 without a single homicide occurring.
June 2020: Inauguration of Hospital El Salvador
On 22 June 2020, President Bukele inaugurated Hospital El Salvador, converted from the country's main convention center, as the largest hospital in Latin America.
2020: Report on Homicide Rate Drop
According to a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) in 2020, the homicide rate in El Salvador had dropped significantly since Bukele became president.
2020: 5G coverage testing
In 2020, testing of 5G coverage began in El Salvador.
2020: Homicides Recorded
In 2020, there were only 1,322 reported homicides in El Salvador.
January 2021: Energy Injections by source
According to the National Energy Commission, 94.4% of total injections during January 2021 came from hydroelectric plants (28.5% - 124.43 GWh), geothermal (27.3% - 119.07 GWh), biomass (24.4% 106.43 GWh), photovoltaic solar (10.6% - 46.44 GWh) and wind (3.6% - 15.67 GWh).
February 2021: Nuevas Ideas Wins Majority
In February 2021, Nuevas Ideas won the biggest congressional majority in the country's history.
February 2021: Nuevas Ideas Wins Legislative Elections
In the February 2021 legislative elections, Nuevas Ideas won a significant majority in the parliament.
June 2021: President Bukele proposes Bitcoin as legal tender
In June 2021, President Nayib Bukele announced he would introduce legislation to make Bitcoin legal tender in El Salvador.
June 2021: Bitcoin Legal Tender Legislation
On 8 June 2021, pro-government deputies in the Legislative Assembly voted legislation to make bitcoin legal tender in the country.
September 2021: Supreme Court Rules on Second Term
In September 2021, El Salvador's Supreme Court ruled to allow Bukele to run for a second term in 2024, despite constitutional prohibitions.
September 2021: Bitcoin becomes legal tender
On 7 September 2021, Bitcoin officially became a legal tender in El Salvador.
2021: Complexity of El Salvador's Economy
Among 77 countries included in a 2021 study, El Salvador had one of the least complex economies for doing business.
2021: Homicides Recorded
In 2021, El Salvador recorded 1,140 homicides, the lowest number of recorded murders since the end of the civil war in 1992.
2021: GDP estimate for 2021
In 2021, El Salvador's gross domestic product (GDP) in purchasing power parity was estimated at US$57.95 billion, growing real GDP at 4.2%.
2021: El Salvador's population
In 2021, El Salvador's population was 6,314,167.
January 2022: IMF Urges Reversal on Bitcoin, Bukele Announces Bitcoin City
In January 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urged El Salvador to reverse its decision to make cryptocurrency legal tender. Bukele announced plans to build Bitcoin City.
March 2022: Bitcoin transactions by merchants
According to a survey conducted by the Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce, as of March 2022, only 14% of merchants in the country processed at least one Bitcoin transaction.
March 2022: Gang-Related Violence and State of Emergency
Beginning on 25 March 2022, three days of gang-related violence occurred that left 87 people dead. In response, President Bukele asked the Salvadoran parliament to ratify a state of emergency, and on 26 March, he ordered mass arrests.
May 2022: Government Bonds Trading Low
As of May 2022, government bonds were trading at 40% of their original value, indicating a looming sovereign default.
2022: Homicide Rate
By 2022, El Salvador had a homicide rate of 7.8 per 100,000 individuals.
2022: Gang Members Estimate
In 2022, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 gangs were estimated to have around some 70,000 members.
2022: Crackdown on Gangs and State of Emergency
In 2022, the Salvadoran government initiated a massive crackdown on criminal gangs, declaring a state of emergency on 27 March and extending it on 20 July.
May 2023: One Year Without Homicides
On 10 May 2023, President Bukele stated on Twitter that El Salvador had completed one full year or 365 days since 2019 without a single homicide occurring.
August 2023: Government Crackdown on Gangs
As of August 2023, around 72,000 suspected gang members have been sent to prison as a part of the government crackdown on the gangs.
November 2023: Bukele Takes Leave for Re-Election Campaign
On 30 November 2023, the Legislative Assembly granted Bukele a leave of absence to focus on his 2024 re-election campaign. Claudia Rodríguez de Guevara became acting president.
2023: Homicide Rate Decreased
In 2023 the homicide rate was at 154 compared to 495 homicides in 2022.
2023: Democracy Ranking
In 2023, El Salvador was ranked the 5th least electoral democratic country in Latin America and the Caribbean by V-Dem Democracy Report.
January 2024: Homicide Rate Drops
In January 2024, it was announced that the homicide rate dropped nearly 70% year over year, with 154 in 2023 compared to 495 homicides in 2022.
February 2024: Bukele Wins Re-Election
On 4 February 2024, Bukele won re-election with 83% of the vote. His party Nuevas Ideas won 58 of the parliament's 60 seats.
May 2024: Government holds bitcoin
Since May 2024, an official government entity named the Bitcoin Office of El Salvador reports that the government holds 5,750 bitcoin (approximately $354 million circa May 2024) -- with nearly 474 bitcoin (approx $29 million circa May 2024) mined since September 2021 using geothermal energy from the Tecapa volcano.
June 2024: Bukele Sworn In for Second Term
On 1 June 2024, Bukele was sworn in for his second five-year term.
December 2024: Government purchases Bitcoin
In December 2024, Nayib Bukele's government purchased 11 new BTC for over a million dollars, thus strengthening its strategic reserves.
2024: Bukele Campaigns for Re-Election
In 2024, Bukele campaigns for his re-election. On 30 November 2023, the Legislative Assembly granted Bukele a leave of absence to focus on his 2024 re-election campaign.
2024: Homicide Rate
In 2024, El Salvador reported a homicide rate of 1.9 per 100,000 people, a figure lower than any other Latin American country. This represents a 98% decrease in nine years.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
In 2024, El Salvador was ranked 98th in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Bukele allowed to run for second term
In 2024, El Salvador's Supreme Court ruled to allow Bukele to run for a second term, despite constitutional prohibitions.
2024: El Salvador Population Estimated
In 2024, El Salvador's population was estimated to be 6 million according to a government census.
February 2025: Highest Prisoner Rate Worldwide
As of February 2025, El Salvador had the highest prisoner rate worldwide, with over 1,600 prisoners per 100,000 of the national population.
February 2025: Congress Agrees to Remove Bitcoin's Legal Tender Status
In February 2025, El Salvador’s Congress agreed to remove Bitcoin's legal tender status, following pressure from the International Monetary Fund.
March 2025: United States transfers immigrants to El Salvador
In March 2025, the United States transferred more than 200 immigrants, alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, to be imprisoned in El Salvador.
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