Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador

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The Revolutionary Government Junta (Spanish: Junta Revolucionaria de Gobierno, JRG) ruled El Salvador between October 15, 1979 and May 2, 1982. It contained two colonels, Adolfo Arnaldo Majano Ramo 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. They were inspired by left-wing politics, and wanted to project a moderate image of government, initiating 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. When Dada Hirezi resigned in protest at the violence of the Junta on March 3, José Napoleón Duarte took his place. On December 7 Majano was expelled from the junta, 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. Generalized political violence spiraled into full-fledged civil war following the assassination by a right wing death squad, of Archbishop Óscar Romero, a fierce critic of the far right. 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 advisors. 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.

Preceded by Carlos Humberto Romero

Salvadoran Head of State 1979–1982

Succeeded by Álvaro Magaña

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